One Of The People: Vignettes
by Mystic Blade
Summary: An accompaniment to the original story that focuses on moments not in the story as we see glimpses of the characters lives. Cue in a prideful Tsu'tey, an optimistic Jake, a stubborn Joanna, sweet little Peke, and many more for short pieces full of warmth
1. Sensibility

**Sensibility**

Pain.

Self-pity.

Chastisement.

Joanna's ears throbbed painfully as if drums were beating their violent song into her skin's pain receptors as her fingertips rubbed the start of her ears gingerly, hoping the movement on the cartilage would help soothe her aching pain. Of course, it did absolutely _nothing_. There was no ice on Pandora so all she could do was handle the pain of piercing her ears since it was her choice alone to undergo it. Still, she didn't know why she listened to the women about piercing them and chastised her impulsive inner child.

_That's the last time I try to fit in,_ she thought miserably as a jolt of pain shot down the nape of her neck and she dropped her knitting needles to massage the aching skin. The fact that Pandora lacked mirrors soured her mood since she couldn't see her appearance to evaluate the handiwork done on her ears (she didn't want to have one be higher than the other) or to see whether they'd become infected. _I guess it's just a waiting game now._

Footsteps broke her train of thoughts as she cuddled into her warm blanket, snuggled in the delicious warmth of the fabric despite the lack of a breeze in the ethereal blue of night. Joanna was certain she was the only one with a blanket during this warm season but she liked being wrapped up in her cocoon as she knitted herself a pair of socks. They weren't going to be perfect, if anything, the one being knitted was already near the middle of her leg while its partner stopped at the ankle bone. Still, she liked keeping her feet warm at night so it wasn't like anybody would see her comical socks. Sometimes, Joanna wondered if she'd ever learn the skill of knitting because her sewn creations always came out either too large or too small.

Her line of sight aimed towards the left as Tsu'tey entered her private sleeping area, a smile hitching at her lips in remembrance to the morning meal when she splattered his face full of porridge for mocking her throbbing ears. She hadn't liked being made fun about her pain as she sought solace in his presence as his loyal friend and didn't appreciate being snubbed aside. His footsteps were silent as he hopped onto the branch leading toward her hammock to scope out the area and she watched his nimble flexibility trying to spot her from outside as he used his feet for perfect balance- he almost reminded her of old style surfers with his stance.

"I'm over here, you skxawng" she called out dryly from where she sat, cleverly concealed in the reflected shadows of her alcove as her willowy form resembled the lump of the yellow blanket she had draped around herself. He turned swiftly with lightning speed to her amused voice, narrowing his golden eyes as he believed he'd been purposely tricked the whole time and she shook her head to scold him, "Don't you glare at me, I have a right to be wherever I want and you're intruding _my_ living area. Now, be a good boy and wipe your feet before you come inside."

His face creased with confusion to her illogical words, almost contemplating the idea of doing so to appease her strange tastes since he was indeed in her personal alcove. Joanna, however, decided to forgo Earth manners and sighed to give him the freebie on the joke, "It's an Earth thing."

His response, of course, was a distasteful 'keh' of a snort to dismiss anything Earth related.

He walked up to her cozy alcove, studying the contents of her private area as he saw the natural wooden shelves housing trinkets that were most likely gifts from the children. Wooden statues. Necklaces with mismatched stones of various sizes. Painted rocks with glued pieces of wood and leather. Other trinkets lay on wooden slabs on the floor that were lined with a few of his gifts (a carved wooden pa'li and a violet shawl) and others from Cheryl when they swapped female items. He'd never seen that kind of an eyesore in alcove storage (his own consisted of much neater and useful items- mostly hunting related) but kept his mouth shut in order to prevent a fight since she loved the children dearly. Despite his own opinion on children, he appreciated Joanna's constant care over them as she tended to them like a second parent and it had earned their clan's respect for her.

"If you're here to complain about the morning-" she began to explain her quick tempered action that brought embarrassment to him in front of dozens but he cut her off with a wave of the hand and a subdued hiss in his throat. He was still iffy about it but she counted herself lucky he hadn't exploded already to reprimand her since she'd made a hasty retreat to prevent that in the morning. Placing her knitting needles to the side, she hid her uneven socks inside her blanket to hide them from him and spoke up calmly, "Just allow me to say my words were driven by my pain and I didn't mean to cause a scene."

"Actually, _I _came to offer an apology" he spoke up slowly with an uneasy furrow of his brow and sat down next to her, awkwardly eyeing her large blanket as it covered her form comically but said nothing as she directed a cold stare at him. He'd already gotten in trouble once so he wasn't daring her wrath again . . . even if she looked like a wrapped newborn. Instead, he leaned over to tuck together any open pockets to prevent air drafts from seeping inside and was satisfied by the small smile of care on her face.

Her cheeks tinted lightly to the sincere gesture as his daily presence brought happiness with a little stomach flutter every time they met. True, his grumpy self sometimes put her in a bind with his prideful personality when they clashed minds but even so, there was something about him that warmed her heart whenever he was near. It was almost like an addiction being next to him; she was deliriously elated with him close and miserably lonely when he was gone.

He opened his satchel to fetch an item he'd brought for her as a gift of forgiveness because he knew his behavior in the morning was rude due to the obvious pain she was enduring. After everything he'd put her through, he wanted her content at his side- never distressed- and knew the problem had to be mended by his hand alone. His enclosed hands rose to her eye level and her brow raised with intrigue to what was contained inside, golden eyes lighting up with a glimmer of surprise when he opened them.

Earrings.

Her lips formed an 'o' of astonishment to the beautiful handcrafted item of light cream-colored wood, round crystalline gemstones of emerald color, and a gorgeous blue-violet feather on the left earring. She didn't want to believe he was going to hand her such an exquisite item so freely and gazed at him in question, her lips ready to ask away to soothe the skepticism on her mind but he beat her to it by presenting with a warm smile, "This is for you. Seeing as you are still wearing the temporary earrings, I wanted to give you a more fashionable pair . . . your first, I believe, unless somebody else beat me to it?"

She chuckled to his playful tone, running her fingertips over the soft and delicate blue feather as she remained in awe to his generous gift. How could he do such thing for her? The gesture touched her heart and she refrained from running her fingers over his cheek as well to show her appreciation. The craftsmanship was intricately unique with each crafted bead and wooden imprints, and knew this kind of gift took a decent amount of time to make as well the items required for such jewelry. Nobody had ever given her such a luxurious present, neither on Earth or Pandora, prompting her to shake her head in polite reluctance to accept and weakly whispered, "Tsu'tey, I can't accept this. A gift this beautiful-"

"Deserves to be yours" he intervened with a nonnegotiable tone that she found touching as he deposited the earrings into her hands, enveloping her smaller ones with his as she closed her fingers around it. He smiled gently with fondness as he watched the blanket fall around her waist to pool around her legs, revealing her petite form and the ridiculous but adorable socks she tried to hide from his eye. Only Joanna could wedge herself into his heart with her humorous quirks and settle in with strong support beams. She held his gift in her hands with disbelief and adoration as the sentimental act warranted him easy forgiveness and she struggled to keep herself from becoming overly emotional. He wasn't a big talker on emotions, a stark difference from her, and his actions always spoke louder than anything his lips would utter. A prime example was his matter-of-factly response to her doubtful face as he smirked proudly, "Besides, I had these specially made for you the entire afternoon so you _cannot_ return them."

"Tsu'tey" she reprimanded his cocky undertone but his trademark smirk remained plastered on to his solid arguments and Joanna fully understood that she could not return them even if she wanted to. Her fingers curled over the earrings, happy to the pleasant surprise as she could finally have pair of jewelry to call her own and would treasure them forever. Despite the painful throbbing in her ears, she couldn't wait to wear them soon to show off his private gift and smiled tenderly to whisper, "Thank you, my dear friend."

His ears perked to cheering up his student and his hands grabbed the blanket to drape it over her petite shoulders, smiling with satisfaction as he watched her study the earrings with a soft glance. The fingers of her free hand brushed against his as he knotted two ends of the blanket at her chest and met his sincere gaze as all pretenses were dropped and Joanna realized that as she stared at him, nothing else mattered. She could be stranded with him on an island and never grow bored of the man, only further endeared to his appealing traits. Unfortunately, he was also her close friend and teacher which made the new budding affection the same as walking on thin ice. The future was unwritten in her view since she didn't have shaman abilities like a matriarch and although it embarrassed her to think of it, she hoped Tsu'tey wouldn't catch onto her hidden revelation but if so, he would reciprocate. She'd had many cases of unrequited affection but only time would tell as she studied the unique stripe patterns on his handsome face.

_I've always seen him as the friend that he is, not the man_, she thought affectionately as her eyes trailed the stripe extending from the edge of his nose towards his right ear. _And what we share, I don't want to see him have that with anybody else because he matters so dearly to me. It sounds selfish and vain but I want to be the one who hears him nag and rejoice, to comfort his uncertainties and support his choices, to be the one he looks forward to seeing even if we do live in the same tree._

"Engenga lu txoa" she whispered sweetly with a faint voice he barely picked up with his hearing and watched her place the earrings on a small white cloth to keep them safe. He'd actually wanted her to wear them immediately but knew removing the temporary ones in her ears would cause more pain until he found a salve to help seal the pinprick holes. Joanna, as always, managed to lighten the mood considerably when she held out her uneven socks with a shy smile but enthusiastically piped up, "Can I sew you a pair of socks?"

Tsu'tey, a proud man that spoke his mind freely without fear, found himself submitting to his friend's awful knitting to increase her confidence with the skill and seeing her exuberant smile was worth wearing the strange attire just to see her happy.

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><p><strong><span>AN**: So, I decided to do a small series of one-shots in between the main story due to the large chapters I post and I think these small pieces can keep you readers entertained as the core chapters are being written simultaneously. All take place in the Omaticaya clan before the upcoming chapter so I won't be throwing anything new at you guys, just another glimpse at clan life and character development.


	2. Shower

**Shower  
><strong>

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><p><em>"Time has a way of demonstrating that the most stubborn are the most intelligent"- Yevgeny Yevtushenko<em>

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><p>Golden eyes riddled with innocent curiosity watched long dexterous fingers pick out blue feathers from a leather satchel in preparation of gluing them to the end of a crafted arrow. Tsu'tey had demanded that Joanna watch the art of crafting an arrow to learn every single step of the entire process and although she'd agreed enthusiastically after their lunch meal, she became plagued with boredom as she was forced to only watch and not touch.<p>

The cold warrior didn't make any attempt to partake in conversation either despite the many topics she'd brought up and had been told to shut up more than once already for breaking his concentration. At this point, she was certain he'd never be a willing acquaintance because he defied her all the time, blocking and dodging any sort of socialization. Joanna still didn't understand why Jake picked him out of all people to teach her the Na'vi way of life and wondered if she'd survive the entire three months of teaching since they weren't seeing eye-to-eye. They'd already been at each other's throats two times today and it was barely past noon as the sun beamed down upon them on their sitting perch on a branch arching over the entrance of Hometree. She felt like a kid back in elementary school where sitting and watching a tedious teacher was all she did, praying for her recess break- except in this case, she had no break.

She'd been watching him finish sanding the wooden arrow to perfection, annoyed when he intentionally threw the thin wooden debris in her direction carelessly while keeping himself immaculate. If that wasn't mean to be rude, she didn't know what was. Any arguments on her part were dismissed with a callous 'keh' of a snort as he carried on with the silent lesson and coldly stated that if she had a problem with his teaching, she was welcome to leave at any time. Of course, when she actually dared to attempt it, he had the gall to pull her back into her seat with a cruel yank to her tail that left her nursing her abused appendage.

More than an hour had passed as she learned absolutely nothing since he didn't bother to explain anything he was doing, only the tools needed. No steps. No techniques. Nothing. When she became fed up with the silent treatment and questioned him directly, she was told to be quiet like a good student and simply watch. That was torture for poor Joanna who was a being that learned by physically partaking in the task. Knowing the lesson was a waste of time, she decided to salvage her learning potential and amused herself by sorting out the different color of feathers in his satchel from her seat and had so far labeled ten different colors. She was rather fond of violet but teal made a close competitor for favorite as her eyes separated the small and large feathers, trying to figure out where the Na'vi found them since she'd yet to see a bird on Pandora. Her fingers itched to feel one between her fingers but she stayed put like a dutiful student, hands clasped together over her lap as she surveyed the area around them for further entertainment.

_Oh Eywa, this is boring- so boring, I think I might cry_, she thought desperately with woe to her unlucky situation and her shoulders slumped dramatically as she pouted depressingly. She peeked at him from underneath her lashes in a side glance, narrowing her eyes silently as she mused distastefully, _Just look at him. I help to save his life and what do I get? A whole bunch of 'shut up' and sass from his smart mouth. I don't see why people find him interesting- he's rude, stubborn, violent, arrogant, and he sure as hell isn't handsome. I must be in the twilight zone where everything that's appealing in a friend is the complete opposite in this place!_

She doubted this was the way Neytiri had taught Jake since his video journals had been filled with nothing but exciting adventures within the forest, firsthand experience with the pa'li, and lengthy but scenic hikes, yet Joanna received none of that or any inclination of it for the future. Tsu'tey's teachings weren't sinking in after two days and she prayed to Eywa that this was _not_ how she was going to spend her mornings and afternoons for the next three months. Otherwise, she might be tempted enough to throw herself off the branch and sprain her leg for excitement.

"Are you listening?" his sharp voice cut into her ponderings like nails on a chalkboard and she flinched to being caught. How did he manage to look away from his precious work long enough to see that she was counting feathers with her eyes? Her lips thinned to being bossed around already since he was the one that caused her attention to wander away rather than allow her to become engrossed with the lesson.

Turning her head to stare at him with a glower, she furrowed her brow and shot back acidly between clenched teeth, "I would if you were actually teaching me something! Either you let me touch the arrow or feathers. . .or I'm leaving."

He matched her challenging glare with one of his own since being questioned about his teaching method was not a common happening among his students and he narrowed his eyes into slits at her demanding attitude. He'd never disliked a student as much as Joanna, nor dreamed of one irritating enough, since she was the recent thorn in his side and couldn't pluck her away no matter what he tried. If anything, he was being forced back to her against his will by his clan leader and was practically caged in with her; a dangerous situation. . .for her. Baring his teeth, his sharp features creased with defensive hostility to her useless threat and he hissed maliciously to force her submission, "Everything you touch, you destroy."

"You arrogant petty man!" she insulted his rude words with a shrill voice of indignation and clenched her fists to his callous attitude that never lessened against her. She never saw him treat anyone else in the clan so carelessly as he did towards her whenever they spoke and found her optimism toward friendship fading. Angrily, she stuffed her hands into the satchel full of feathers to teach him a lesson on humility as she rebelled to his authoritarian nature. Her fingers tousled the soft feathers to rile him further as his hands clenched with protest to her action and with a victorious smirk of supremacy, Joanna retorted proudly, "See? Nothing happened, you-"

A little tickle of Joanna's nose was all the warning she received before a loud sneeze echoed through Kelutral's entrance and Pandora's first rainbow shower came to be as feathers flew everywhere in all directions. Her eyes widened to their fullest in surprise to the unexpected involuntary reaction as the feathers triggered an allergic response and withheld a pitiful groan from following after as embarrassment struck. Thankfully, she was spared from that emotion as she ventured into shark infested waters with great whites named Tsu'tey and felt doom stroking her back with its cold tendrils. Humiliation was replaced by impending fear as she hesitated to glance at her cranky instructor, who still sat next to her and had witnessed his entire batch of feathers go flying. Out of all the times to be proved wrong, it had to be on that precise second where she'd actually held the upper hand against him and her spirit was crushed to seeing that chance withered in a vaporizing flame of fire.

Feathers rained upon them and over wandering residents below the branch and Joanna tucked her knees close to her chest as she gathered the courage to face the cruel man that was Tsu'tey. She knew of his ferocity and didn't want to accidentally go flying with the feathers to join their trip to the ground if he decided to strike her down. The moment her fearful eyes locked with his, she winced visibly to the shocked but enraged expression frozen on his angular face as he stared at her. His mouth was partly agape as he tried to form coherent words to describe his feelings of loss and what she'd just done to him but could only stammer slowly with a low wavering voice, "You are. . .you. . .you. . ."

"Yes, me" she piped up sheepishly with a shaky smile as she tried to redeem herself by helping him along. She doubted it would help her situation in any way and sneezed again when a few feathers touched her nose, hastily covering up her mouth with both hands as she narrowly avoided spitting saliva all over him. That would've lost any possible redemption points and she might as well have packed her bags to leave the Omaticaya because he'd certainly be chasing after her with his handy knife.

"Are **incapable** of being taught!" he yelled irately with full blown fury tinting his cheeks a lilac hue as he tried to put the annoying woman in her place. She was a speck of dust in comparison to him and couldn't believe she'd ruined the entire batch of feathers for his fletchings with a simple childish sneeze! Did she even think before she acted? Of course not, she only cared for her own selfish needs rather than his! His fingers clenched over the arrow he was holding, breaking the wooden item cleanly in half as he found a way to channel his rage (which was an exploding volatile volcano at the moment) without verbally exploding and didn't utter a sound when he felt splinters breaking the skin of his fingers. Joanna uttered a meek 'eep' to the dangerous show of strength as his hand released the broken item into the air to fall away and she instinctively grabbed her neck in case he decided to use that as his next strength display. His uninjured hand jabbed an indignant finger toward the free floating feathers that would've made a picturesque scene for anybody, except them, and growled angrily with challenge, "What are you going to do about this?"

Joanna sighed with self-pity to her new predicament that torched the bridge of friendship she was trying to build once more but she wasn't one to give up. Nitari told her to persevere on coexistence and she would obey, even if she had to tie him up with a gag in his mouth or freeze him in a pit of drying mud- she would reach her goal somehow! Flashing him a helpful peppy smile, she proceeded to grab every little feather that was flying in mid-air despite their large numbers were a straightaway disadvantage and her probability of catching all was less than half. Nonetheless, it didn't stop her determination at recollecting the airborne batch but Tsu'tey saw it as futile since having dirty and ruffled feathers would hinder the accuracy of his arrows. If she'd listened to his lecture, she would have known that fact and should've offered replacement feathers caught by her own hand; his student was absolutely worthless. With an enraged growl, he grabbed his leather satchel and threw out whatever feathers she'd tossed back inside to prevent contamination of any good leftover feathers that had been previously spared from her disgusting sneezing.

"_Hey! I was helping!"_ she protested shrilly with her birth language as she dampened her hands with water from her canteen to create a surfactant that would gather more feathers than using dry hands alone. Her lips pressed together in an annoyed pucker since she was trying her best to help him and as a person that lacked the finesse of planning instantly on the scene, she was proud of herself.

He held his items close to his chest protectively to prevent her from ruining any more of his hard earned possessions and snapped curtly with a deep scowl, "You were helping more by doing nothing!"

"I don't care what you think, _I'm_ going to collect these feathers and _you're_ going to accept them!" she stated primly with an upturned rosy nose full of congestion and continued to pick feathers out of the air with a standoffish raise of her chin. Tsu'tey's teeth clenched together with rage to her disobedient streak and fought the urge to knock her off the branch to teach her a lesson about respect. Oh, how he'd love to break her into a watery mess of tears and hear her endless apologies of being the inferior one.

With narrowed eyes glinting of restrained boiling rage, he hissed dangerously with protest, "I will _not_."

"You _will_ too!"

"_I_ will not!"

Both stared at each other with deadlocked glares, flattened ears depicting clear antagonism, and bared teeth that gleamed in the sunlight as they sat with a standoff to see who would win. Joanna was ready to retort with the same words that had previously followed-

"_Somebody_ better take these because as pretty as this feather shower is, I'm not cleaning it up" Jake's stern voice popped in with a single sentence that halted their argument, which could now be heard echoing over the entrance, and both individuals looked down the branch to see their leader covered with sparse feathers all over his head and shoulders. Apparently, their battle for dominance had brought in an innocent bystander into mix. . .an important one who was staring directly at them to see who would perform the cleanup duty. Neither of the two wanted to admit they were wrong and surrender, which meant their brains were rapidly scanning their mental data banks to retrieve a decent argument for excuse.

Joanna's mental hamster found the needed file as it collapsed with exhaustion on its little hamster wheel and she beat Tsu'tey to the punch line when she piped up enthusiastically, "Until my allergic sneezing is under control, _Tsu'tey_ will gladly retake them."

With a convincing congested sneeze that clinched the win for her with a sympathy vote, she smiled sweetly in a manner that boiled her teacher's blood as she excused herself innocently, "Oh my."

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><p><strong>AN**: It's actually kind of funny to see how they transitioned from this to where they are now. Obviously, Tsu'tey will never be the nurturing type to his students and Joanna is the first to have ever challenged him the whole step of the way. Thanks so much for following this little spinoff of oneshots because it looks so easy to conjure these in my mind in comparison to the original tale (which is almost done, I just need one pivotal scene in the current chapter to finish but Tsu'tey is giving me a mental block). I'm a little late also since finals were last week and I was studying like crazy with my buddy well into 2 am but I aced everything so I'm happy.

Thank you so much for the alerts/favorites and your reviews:

_Mark_: Yeah, Tsu'tey is one tough guy. He's a slab of granite in public, utters simple sentences to convey his entire train of thought, and will beat you down if you stare at him funny. And if you make fun of his cooking, nobody will find your carcass.

_T0rukMakt0_: I'm glad you like the snippets!

_C2ruis_: It's easier to purge one setting or meaning into five pages which doesn't take too long (aside from editing) in comparison to the 40+pages of the main story.

_Bigoldfrog_: You'll be seeing a little Tsu'tey making a shawl next time as we peek into the circle of seamstresses. It's funny because he can probably make socks better than Joanna and he's never used or made them in his entire life.

_Claycarole_: I'm trying to think of the daily settings I can add in: foraging, healing, fishing, cooking, and yes, pottery making. Pottery is useful in anything and since I know absolutely nothing, I am more than eager to learn a bit about it. There's a scene I have in my mind for it (from where Talen taught Joanna her first urn and Tsu'tey insulted her which led to her hurling it at his head and breaking her little creation) but I need info on how to create it since Tsu'tey boasts he is the best at anything he sets his mind to. I will be PM'ing you soon for help!

_Emmalime_: Thanks so much, I'm happy to every reader that loves quirky Joanna and her grumpy Tsu'tey!

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><p>Next Time: <em>Sewing Finger<em>


	3. Sewing Finger

**Sewing Finger  
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><p>The Omaticaya were known for their beautifully handcrafted textiles and all residents knew the art, from the smallest child to the oldest member in Kelutral. Circles around the hearth and the loom were common throughout the day as both women and men from all ages gathered to socialize and partake in their loved skill. The Na'vi were socializing beings by nature and the Omaticaya clan was the happiest when gathered together to converse the recent news or gossip relating to their brethren. It was a rarity to break into argument during such gatherings due to the respect each individual held for one another but it was common to hear it from youngsters who didn't know any better with their innocent minds.<p>

Rain splattered outside as it mimicked heavy drumming on the earth with its fat droplets of water and echoed as it struck the roots of their home. Kelutral's residents, however, were cozy and warm with the glowing fires around the base as life went on as usual whether it was sunny or stormy. The night's storm had brought along loud thunder that shattered the silence around Hometree and the young children that knew not what it was remained huddled close to their parents as their little ears flattened to the terrifying noise. Parents would soothe their worries as they quivered fearfully in their arms and large yellow eyes would widen to see the horizon rip apart as white light shone through the dark canopies. Eventually, with time, they would come to understand it as a natural part of Pandora's balance and not as Eywa's wrath to little children that stayed up past their bedtime.

Around the circle of sewing residents, Mo'at knitted a large blanket made of golden colored fabric for her youngest daughter since her little one wasn't keen on sharing their current blanket with her oldest sister. She'd been kicked on more than one occasion as the two argued faintly in an attempt to thwart their hearing but her mate decided that it was time both girls received blankets to appease them (and so they could get some decent sleep). Whenever she took part in textile crafting, she brought along her daughters to learn the skill and while Sylwanin obeyed without question, Neytiri always tried to scuttle off to find her father. Eytukan, however, sprung his trap and instructed their youngest that if she wanted a blanket all for herself, she would have to take part in its weaving as all clan members did when creating their belongings. This time, Neytiri had reluctantly obeyed her sempu with a small pout of disappointment because she wanted that blanket more than anything. That is why, at the current moment, it brought the small four-year old to the sewing circle as she sat in between her sister and mother.

Neytiri always admired the beautifully sewn illustrations of cloths adults wore but never understood how to achieve the art as she glimpsed into the seamstresses area whenever she passed by. Her small hands held a large piece of cloth of royal blue color as Mo'at wanted her to learn the first steps of sewing and watched with dismay when her daughter tried to stick on a handcrafted appliqué by slapping glue onto it. Neytiri believed she'd achieved something in the art as she was ready to slap it on the cloth with a triumphant smile but her mother stopped her quickly by grasping her small wrist gently, shaking her head to instruct carefully, "No, child. You must learn to sew and then I will teach you that."

Neytiri's eyes held defiance since she thought her way was faster but her mother took away the beautiful stone white appliqué from her little fingertips before she could protest. Mo'at placed it next to her basket for safekeeping to let it air dry for later reuse and Neytiri frowned at her plain cloth, disliking its bare appearance in comparison to her sister's. Her mother chuckled to her sour expression and pointed towards her oldest, suggesting lightly, "Look at Sylwanin, she is showing how you must sew it on."

Of course, seeing her eight year-old sister sewing with the skills befitting a novice seamstress, Neytiri's confidence plummeted down faster than a ripe banana fruit. Her sister was always perfect at everything she set her mind to and little Neytiri couldn't help but feel jealous and inferior to her eldest sibling as she held her cloth in her hands. Why couldn't she be good at sewing too? Sylwanin used her needle expertly as she sewed on a pink appliqué to her blanket which she'd chosen a deep rosy color for.

Neytiri hated pink.

Her lips lowered into a frowning pout as she stared at her needle for guidance, hoping it would give her some kind of sign, but received nothing which led to her mother pointing out, "Neytiri, your thimble."

"But it's too big" she protested disappointedly since she'd removed it because it kept falling off and grumbled under her breath to place it back on her thumb. Her sister chuckled to seeing her round face pout so sourly over a thimble and the little girl shot back defensively, "It's not funny!"

"Neytiri, be nice to your sister" her mother scolded her youngster since she would tolerate no fighting between her girls and her youngest lowered her head in submission.

Little Neytiri didn't like being scolded by her parent and sniffled since she preferred her father's company as hearing about animals and hunting techniques excited her more than sewing ever did. She loved spending time with her father more than she did everybody else and wished he could come in to rescue her from all the sewing rules she had to follow. Her sempu, however, had made it quite clear that until she finished her blanket, no more fishing trips.

Sylwanin watched her sister wipe her nose sloppily since she didn't understand the concept and knew she was on the verge of tears since Neytiri feared disappointment. She heard snickering next to her and her lips thinned to the insulting noise, her hand flying out to smack the offending individual next to her for making fun of her sister (whom she was very protective of).

"Ow! Sa'nu, she hit me!," seven year-old Tsu'tey cried out painfully as he held the left side of his head with a painful pout on his lips. Immediately, he huddled next to his mother for doting attention to have his boo-boo kissed and take away the pain. Being an only child, there was always ample time to be spoiled and he relished bathing himself in it.

His mother stopped gluing leather pieces as straps for a new satchel as her little one scooted away from Sylwanin, his lean arms wrapping around her waist for protection, and she lectured him gently, "I've told you many times to never insult girls. Neytiri is your friend too, remember? You must never treat your friends with disrespect."

"Arrgh" her son grumbled rebelliously as he failed to make his mother chastise the sisters but the irritancy dissipated when she stroked his hair to show her care, smiling happily to her affection. He leaned down to pick up his discarded item, a lilac shawl he was creating for his grandmother to show his appreciation for her baked goods. His skills were nowhere near Sylwanin's or the older children but Tsu'tey's determination to show others he was just as good as they were kept his persistence ongoing. Lilac was his grandmother's favorite color and little Tsu'tey knew that if he made a pretty one for her, he could make a better one for his mother too and he'd be bathed in maternal affection. That and his confidence would grow to compete with the older children so they could see he was better and maybe then, they'd let him play rather than joke he was too tall.

Kaana, the proud mother of the energetic Tsu'tey, watched her young son thin his lips in concentration as his needle pierced the cloth to sew a border around the cut fabric. She just knew her son would grow into a determined individual since he never let a task pass by his mind and despite his young age, his bright eyes held an intelligence that kept growing every day. Her hand caressed the top of his head and he smiled happily with sincerity at his mother before returning to his sewing with a brighter disposition. Mo'at watched the young boy with amusement as he ignored everyone around him despite the attention he'd just earned and she lectured her oldest with an unasked command, "Sylwanin."

Her firm tone told the little girl she best apologize or risk a lecture and she turned to the boy to murmur slowly, "I'm sorry for hitting you."

Tsu'tey, however, wanted the upper hand for being smacked and stuck out his tongue in rebuttal, instantly gratified when she glared at him. Despite he'd been laughing at her a minute ago, Neytiri chuckled and grinned amusingly, "That's funny."

Sylwanin didn't find it amusing in the slightest and reminded her little sister, "Do your sewing."

Neytiri pouted since sewing was not what she wanted to be doing because her creation was not coming out beautifully like everybody else's and she poked her thread-less needle through the center of her cloth. Sylwanin shook her head with amusement and quickly corrected her mistake, "No, you have to outline what you want and then sew it with your needle. . .once it has thread, that is."

Tsu'tey decided to add in his own input and scoffed haughtily, "No, you can outline it with your needlework. You're giving her extra work-"

"I'm older, I know better" Sylwanin shot back with a smug grin as she pulled the age trick on him and he narrowed his eyes to begin a verbal battle.

The two youngsters began arguing on the best techniques which boggled young Neytiri's mind as she tried to grasp the simple concept of sewing. The little girl looked to her mother with expectant eyes for guidance since the other children weren't much help and Mo'at sighed with sympathy, "All right, come here, my little one."

She picked up a relieved Neytiri from the floor to deposit the child in her lap and held the needle between her first two fingers to explain, "We start by putting thread into the needle. . ."

* * *

><p><em>The present. . . .<em>

"And that is how I learned to sew" Neytiri concluded her tale as she finished sewing a rip in a pair of leggings and cut the thread away from a secure knot with a small knife. Folding the attire neatly on her lap, she looked to her mate as he sat next to her listening to her story and smiled, "I've always been more akin to the outdoors since I was very attached to my father but sewing has its uses for fixing tears and mending wounds."

"It seems that you learned better from your mother than those two" Jake chuckled gently to the conjured image of his mate as a child, scratching her head with confusion as her friends argued rather than helped. It was a shame that both her sister and father were no longer among the living but they always honored their memory by remembering.

"And I still do because sometimes time. . ." Neytiri mused as she turned away from her to-do pile of sewing towards the side of the embroidery circle where Tsu'tey was instructing Joanna on how to improve her stitching. She could see the hidden affection radiating from the two as he tried to guide each of her stitching's but his instructions weren't as clear as his hunting lessons. The dreamwalker kept arguing with him about his misleading directions by showing her lack of improvement on the cloth but he refused to listen, turning away stubbornly to ignore her words but seconds later, he returned to guide the lost woman.

"Time doesn't change one's spirit" she finished softly with amusement and she smiled gently at her mate to admit somberly, "I was never one to teach because I felt my skills were lacking in comparison to my sister's, she was outstanding at everything while I seemed to dwell in her shadow. I wanted to be just like her but she always protected me, even on the day she returned to Eywa, she insisted I stay home and help mother. . ."

Her voice trailed off as the loss of her sister felt painfully raw in her heart despite the passing years and she cleared her throat to continue, "When you completed Iknimaya, I was proud of both you and myself because you were my first student- I helped craft you into a hunter with everything I was taught. Everything my sister passed to me, I passed to you."

Jake was speechless on what to say to that confession since he never quite asked how long she'd been teaching, he'd been too preoccupied with the clan and newlywed heaven. Her fingertips trailed over his chin affectionately to close his agape mouth and she smiled impishly, leaning in to ask craftily, "Now, as my mate and a previous tawtute, will you teach me your sports?"

"Of course, my dear lady. . .but you must teach me to sew because I keep ripping this loincloth constantly" Jake grinned with unabashed humor to his clothing and the couple burst into laughter as they huddled together to warm up next to the fire.

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN**: And we glimpse into the sewing circle since Cameron stated the Omaticaya are known for that so I went with it. I've no idea what kind of character Sylwanin was but I imagine protective as any other Na'vi is toward their family and people since they're a very cohesive species. If anybody knows, I'd like to know myself.

Thanks to my readers, as always, for taking the time out to read this short oneshot and my last reviewers:

_Na'viWolf_: Thanks for loving it! I actually forgot to put it in the original story that I'm writing these so I know Tsu'tey is sulking for being robbed of his fans.

_Claycarole_: I imagine the Na'vi pluck them from birds they might catch as prey, I honestly don't know much on archery history. lol. I love your idea on the tug-of-war and scattering them all over the clan as they eat, there's a chapter a long way from now where Tsu'tey's son dumps it all over the floor just as Tsu'tey is fixing his arrows for an upcoming hunt. I would love to incorporate the future characters because their children are little explorers ready to drive their father insane but I don't want to ruin the original with spoilers. Thankfully, the tapiri are adorable substitutes.

_T0rukMakt0_: Since the last oneshot related to their past relationship as enemies, you know Tsu'tey would seek revenge like a furious badger. It's funnier because poor Joanna never won against him and when she did, she had to be the one to apologize for piercing his butt with an arrow.


	4. Life

**Life  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em>"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten. . .and the future worth living for"<em>- unknown author

* * *

><p>Leka's legs ran with the speed of a pa'li foal as she scampered to where Joanna was showing the children all of the possible colors they could use to paint their whittled animal figures. Excited laughter and voices overlapped as little fingers pointed to pastel, vibrant, and neutral shades held in assembled leaf cups that could be discarded for mulch later on. Tsu'tey sat next to her as he tried to feign disinterest for having to be in the children's company but Joanna knew better as he corrected several children on their color of choice for painting a tapirus statuette.<p>

"Why would you choose yellow? They're brown" he questioned the child's innocent choice and Joanna rolled her eyes for his teachings to a _one_-year old. What did the little one know at this age? They were curious about the world around them, not logic. The small boy merely blinked his large orbs of gold at the warrior with naive perplexity before looking away to poke the figure with a paint brush, smiling obliviously at Tsu'tey for encouragement. Joanna laughed joyfully to the humorous scene and kept her eyes on the little toddler to avoid any accidents (they still liked to put their hands in their mouth, after all) while rubbing Tsu'tey's back with empathy to calm him. Her teacher could be such a critic sometimes.

"Remember, you were once like them" she reminded lightly as the side of her hand ran along the curve of his spine but stopped her caress once she saw people approaching. She was breaching both his personal space and the norms of society but as she glanced at him, he concentrated more on her than anything else in sight as his golden gaze lingered. Her cheeks darkened to his intense stare since her status was as a friend and nothing else but oh, how she would dream of more. Nonetheless, she was thankful that Eywa brought him to her as a friend and kept him there throughout their crazy adventures.

Leka ran up to her sitter with a big smile and grasped her forearm, ignoring the mannerisms children were taught on how to behave with their elders, to declare happily, "Miyo is showing her new baby! Let's go see him, Joanna."

Miyo was another of the growing statistics of women who were having children to increase the numbers of the clan. Mothers spent a week alone with their new little one to seal the parental bond and prevent sudden illness but afterwards, the clan would see the newborn to greet the new heart beating in the world. Each member of the clan visited the new parents to offer their best wishes and helpful tips, especially if it was a first child, and by the end, the newborn would be known by all. The most important milestones of a child in the clan were their first step and word as it showed their growing development into a unique person of their own. Parents would then craft an ikran toy for their child to present it to them when they were older to encourage their skills.

The older woman shook her head since her small lesson was still in session and didn't want to intrude too suddenly since other members would also want to drop by with their congratulations. Tsu'tey, on the other hand, wasn't surprised that Joanna would be one of the firsts to pop in due to her unofficial role of caretaker (Eywa, he could already imagine her carrying the child when the mother was ready to rejoin the seamstresses circle) but a small part of him was proud that many called upon her for help with their children. Joanna wanted to remain humble since the children deserved to paint to their heart's desire and patted Leka's head to compromise, "We will finish our painting first and then, we will go pay our respects."

"Oh!" both Tsu'tey and Leka exclaimed in disappointment; the child because her eagerness couldn't be contained and the hunter because he _really_ didn't want to go.

An hour later, Tsu'tey found himself with a frown on his angular face as he had children clamping onto his legs like forest slugs with excitement as they tried to peek at the new baby in Joanna's arms. The crowds were nonexistent when she arrived with her small group and she spoke with the new mother about the new bundle as she promised to keep Miyo's older children for a few hours extra during the first month to help. Tsu'tey, however, had somehow been unofficially charged with playing nursemaid to the group of children and had been driven mad more than once with the barrage of their endless and sometimes, illogical, questions. He couldn't communicate well with children like Joanna could and wondered if it was a female thing but then again, his clan leader splattered on paint to play games with them during the month so maybe it was just him in particular. Goodness, he could already see the frown on the Tsahìk's face if she saw he was anti-baby.

"Ow! That is _not_ a toy!" he warned a little girl who had just used his tail to summon his undivided attention by pulling on it and groaned mentally when her eyes watered to being reprimanded. Another thing that unnerved him from his strong shell of stone was crying, especially children. He waved his hands in a desperate attempt to stop her before she could bawl aloud to draw everyone's attention and patted her head to soothe gently with a voice unlike his natural gruff tone, "Don't cry, I didn't mean to, um, frighten you. What did you need?"

Her large eyes blinked, one fisted hand wiping away tears from a leaky eye as she stammered, "I can't-", sniffle, "see. . .the baby."

He muffled an exasperated sigh to everyone's eagerness to see a baby and stepped aside to let the entire group of children stand in front of him, gently pushing the ones attached to his legs also. His enthusiasm wasn't as eager as theirs to witness the miracle of life because the crying was unbearable and screechier than an ikran with territoriality issues. Babies were adorable in the physical sense as they cooed and drew attention to their wiggling limbs but those were the only good aspects in Tsu'tey's eye.

"Isn't he the prettiest little thing you've ever seen?" Joanna cooed with adoration as the children oohed and awed about the newborn as the baby eyed them with mild interest. To Tsu'tey, the child looked as sleepy as he felt being in the same setting but at least the newborn was allowed to sleep while he'd be chastised for rude behavior. A few more moments of this kept going on as he decided to glance around the area, randomly complimenting Miyo for what she and her mate had done in decorating their small alcove. Both women had stared at him with bewilderment for the comment since the baby was the main attraction and he'd decided to shut up then and there.

"Look, his fingers tried to grab mine" Leka squealed happily as the baby's natural grasping reflex kicked in when their hands touched and the girl drew more 'aw's' from the small group.

Of course, his moments of bachelor peace were broken when Joanna popped into his line of sight with a bright smile and told him enthusiastically, "Your turn, buddy. Be careful with his head-"

"I can't carry a child-"

"This baby will love knowing the clan advisor once held him" Joanna insisted with a quick nod that told him she wasn't backing down and glanced at the cooing baby in her arms. Smiling sweetly, she cooed in return as babies melted her into puddles of goo instantaneously and Tsu'tey winced to her sweet tone as she asked the baby, "Won't you?"

"For someone who doesn't want children, you sure love them" he remarked dryly in regards to her past comments but Joanna had failed to tell him months ago that that mindset had changed. Her girl talk with Cheryl was kept secret, after all. She placed the little boy in his arms and Tsu'tey quickly shifted into protector mode as the experience left him vulnerable since he was never one to hold children often. Actually, he couldn't even remember when he had. As a child, he'd peek in shyly at the newborns when his mother brought him along but nowadays, he usually watched from within the crowds and gave his best wishes to the new parents as another person took his place.

He balanced the newborn boy in his arms as the little one stared at him with a blank sleepy expression as miniature hands shifted over his bare round stomach. The soft little body unsettled him with its vulnerability to the outside world and he placed the child vertically over his chest to tuck him close to body warmth as he eyed Joanna with uncertainty. Couldn't she see that he wasn't made to hold children? He was molded to wield weapons and hunt prey, not coddle babies in his arms! She chuckled to his nervous face, stroking the baby's back as he cooed softly to the safety provided in the hunter's arms and she assured Tsu'tey gently, "It's a baby, not a bottle of poison."

"I'd rather juggle the poison" he retorted defensively as he held the back of the boy's head with a tender but cautious hand and raised his brow when tiny hands tapped his chest. Glancing down, he managed a smile of amusement as the child wiggled with curiosity to his new world and bright golden eyes met his. Yes, children were extremely fragile in their first years of life and assigned you many new responsibilities but they brought out the best in you. They were your legacy in life as they carried what you instilled in them and Tsu'tey wondered what the little newborn would be. Maybe a hunter? A cook? A pa'li breeder? His gaze rose to meet Joanna's as she cooed to the boy as little fists tapped against his chest and he briefly wondered how life would be as a real father. . .with her as his dear mate. Nobody else attracted him as she did, anyway.

He was almost tempted to joke that they should keep the child for themselves and run off to make a clan of their own but the child suddenly became fussy in his arms. What was it now? Before he could ask Joanna to help, the baby boy uttered a small gurgle of distaste and spit up his recent meal all over the hunter's chest.

Joanna's eyes widened to their fullest as Tsu'tey stared at his milk covered chest with agape lips of shock to the awful sight and the children burst into amused sniggers to the creamy colored blotch. He couldn't believe his awful luck with children and thanked Eywa when Joanna took the child into her arms, trying to calm the newborn as she handed him back to Miyo for motherly care. Tsu'tey was ready to throw a fit himself for being covered in baby vomit after trying to become a better handler with babies and vowed never to touch one for the next ten seasons. Fetching a clean brown cloth from her satchel, she dabbed at his chest to clean off the baby's mess and struggled not to laugh to what happened lest she wanted to receive an angry rant later on in her hammock. She was certain he'd be going out to the archery fields or take Aci for a stroll around Kelutral to calm the fiery match that had been lit.

His eyes held nothing but cynicism when they met her embarrassed orbs of gold and he commented flatly, "Life is adorable when it's a cooing lilac cheeked child aiming their pretty little eyes at you but when they vomit their stomach contents all over you, it's anything _but_ cute."

She directed a stern glare at him for becoming grumpy already since it wasn't the child's fault his stomach was full but he had an argument for that as well, "You will remember my words when you have your own child and I will laugh to your misery, Joanna. Oh, how I will _laugh_."

Joanna shook her head to his crazy madman prophesies, smiling with amusement to herself as she wiped his blue chest clean and he grumbled under his breath with regret for following her up here. . .but it did feel nice holding the small newborn in his arms when he wasn't spitting up food. He wasn't an instant fan of the little tykes but the newborn left an impression on him as he realized he was at his prime and little babies weren't far away- if anything, they should already be occurring- in his life.

Years later, Joanna would indeed be cleaning up messy baby vomit from both her own newborn's fussy lips and her clothes as the warrior would be nearby to witness it daily. By that time, however, Tsu'tey would utter no complaint or mocking laughter (maybe a few light jokes) because their little bright-eyed son could do no wrong in his father's eye as the hunter prized Kanei dearly above all else.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: And we see the reaction to babies as the clan treasures every little babe and Tsu'tey goes out of his comfort zone to adapt. He never really sees himself as the type while Joanna loves them but in the end, he'll be playing father anyway. I was never a baby person like Tsu'tey (probably because I was the oldest) but within the past years, I've grown to love them and they actually take to me which now brings my mom to asking when I'll be having one. I'm trying to think of adventures for little Tsu'tey because I find him adorable as a boy who aims to prove himself to the clan and I can see him trying to ride a tapirus like a pa'li. The next chapter of the main story will be up soon as editing drives me insane so stay tuned, my pretties.

_Navi'Rabbit_: Thanks for liking the one-shots, I'm trying to give a view of something that's not with the plot but at the same time, not straying clear off the path.

_T0rukMakt0_: Thank you for your appreciation, you're always so kind. *virtual hug* Joanna takes her time at learning things (otherwise, she'd be a horrible Mary Sue for perfecting something in one practice round) but sewing is her weakest points unlike Tsu'tey, who could probably sew a blanket by the time she finishes a sock. For some reason, I can see him sewing their children's torn clothes and teaching them not to pick up on her skill.

_Claycarole_: Yeah, I'm sure there are days Neytiri won't want to sew for the man and goodness forbid if he has a wardrobe malfunction during a hunt. Thanks for loving the glimpses, I'll be delving into the mind of Peke for the next chapter.

_Na'viWolf_: Tsu'tey's just plain entertaining in his grumpy yet confident style. I think if anybody had to sing some kind of song, it would be at Jake's spur of the moment thought since he's the most outgoing in public out of all the dreamwalkers.


	5. Dreams

**Dreams  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em>"Happiness is placed directly in front of us at birth"- unknown author<em>

* * *

><p><em>Crunch<em>

_Crunch, crunch, crunch_

_Slurp_

_Crunch, crunch_

"Tommy, would you eat _quietly_?" his seven year old twin complained as the noise of his eating breakfast was quite loud and could be heard throughout their small kitchen. Being children, they ate a small table reserved for them during the mornings as their mother kept a careful watch on her rambunctious twins, especially young Jake.

"I can't help it" the other brunette boy smiled sheepishly as he kicked his legs happily underneath the wooden table and munched on his colorful cereal. Even the overly sugary cereal tasted delicious that morning. The crackling of the cereal in his mouth lowered as he halted his eating to tell Jake excitedly, "Mom's taking me to the library!"

Usually, one would think identical twins had everything- or mostly everything- in common but Jake and Tom were far apart in their tastes. While Jake enjoyed playing with his toys and roughhousing with his friends at school or in the backyard, Tom preferred to read and wander their small town in the search for adventure. Despite their difference in leisure tastes, the two boys were tight in bond and protected each other as any sibling would. Jake was usually the first to defend their honor in case someone decided to call his brother 'nerd' names as they grew older and immersed themselves in school where bullies roamed free to torment others. Tom's bookworm tendencies helped though because he could fling books at people's heads when they wanted trouble and it made a very good escape for the duo.

"And you're excited for that? No, come with me to the movies with dad" Jake tried to dissuade with a protesting gag that displayed all of the chewed cereal in his mouth. Tom laughed to himself as it looked like a rainbow had gone straight into a blender and tried not to choke on his own food as they shared a laugh. Jake wanted to see the new alien movie that was playing since he liked spaceships that month (last month it had been Batman) and told him, "It'll be _fun_."

"No, I like the library" Tom said resolutely, sticking to his original plan to spend a day there and continued eating as Jake gagged to the last word. Couldn't he see the excitement books could bring? Still, he couldn't hold back pointing his silver spoon at his twin and teased with a mischievous grin, "You suck."

"No, you suck" Jake grinned back with innocent competition to their brotherly fights and flicked a pebble of dry cereal at him. The red pebble bounced off Tom's brunette hair and he laughed victoriously for landing a strike.

Tom laughed to the barely felt projectile and threw one in return which launched a series of attacks from both sides as they declared war, laughing loudly to each flung crispy pebble. Eventually, their mother rushed in to chastise their behavior and the two ate in silence but grinned impishly as boys would be boys.

In the end, Tom went to the library and Jake to the movies to spend their Sunday doing the things they loved before returning to school. Both returned home contently to wrap up the last jots of pencil marks on their homework for another school day that would begin the next morning. Jake hated every subject except mathematics, he was rather fond of it whereas Tom excelled in English which helped when either needed helped on those very subjects. Dinner was eaten quietly as they minded their parents manners about not talking at the table. . .for about ten minutes, then it was all conversation among the family of five.

"Jake, did you like the movie?"

"Yeah, I-"

"Jake, don't talk with your mouth full."

This wasn't said by either parent.

"Thank you, Tommy. You should listen to your brother, Jake."

"Ha-ha, you got in trouble."

"Shut up, Heather."

"Mom! He told me to shut up."

And so on.

But then again, this was just another regular day in the Sully household.

The twins washed up for bed after watching a few hours of TV beside their father, remembering to scrub the back of their ears and floss their teeth like good little boys. Before entering their shared room, they would sneak into their little sister's bedroom to terrorize her for a few minutes until their mother ordered them straight to bed. They would reluctantly obey as they scuttled off to bed, slipping into their warm covers as the night was rather cold where they lived during this time of year and Jake happily cuddled into his Batman blankets. Within twenty minutes, Tom would slither out of bed with quiet footsteps fit for a crafty fox and fiddle inside their closet to search for something of incredible value.

Jake didn't mind the noise until it failed to stop after five minutes (plus an increase in volume) and he wondered why Tom didn't use the light switch to help his search. Sitting up in bed, he protested to the sounds that resembled a trash compactor and groaned, "Tommy, c'mon, we have school tomorrow."

"I want to show you something, it's a doc-you-mentary" the young boy said excitedly as he used the pronunciation the librarian had given him. Tom Sully had yet to realize that his young mind would develop fast in the field of science when he entered junior high school and fiddled in the dark to find his backpack, his voice muffling during the search as he informed slyly, "Mom wouldn't let me check it out because she doesn't want me knowing about the real aliens up in space. . .so I took it."

Jake grinned in the dark to what his brother had done since he'd never dream of doing such because his parents would ground him for life. Quickly, he slipped out of bed to join his brother in the closet and turned the light on for him to double his search effort. His messy brown hair fell into his eyes as Jake glanced down to compliment his brother with a witty smirk, "You stole from the library? You're not as nerdy as I thought."

Tom blew a raspberry since it was for the sake of knowledge and grinned when he found disc at the bottom of his gray backpack. Dropping the pack to the floor without a care, he ran over to turn on the small blue lamp next to his nightstand to help them navigate throughout the room. Jake turned on the TV with eager fingers as the other twin popped in the disc to begin the film he'd been waiting all day to see in secrecy. Both boys sat cross-legged on the floor as they waited for the documentary to begin, smiling for doing something behind their parents back (although educational), and Tom admitted with a sheepish smile, "I love Pandora but mom doesn't want me reading about it. She says I'm too young and it's a bad world."

The first images they saw would be glued to their minds as they witnessed a fresh and beautiful world unlike their own filled with vibrant green and blue that surrounded every stretch of land. The Sully boys had only heard about Pandora and seen random pictures in textbooks during science class at school but nothing like what the film showed. It truly was similar to Earth as they caught glimpses of mountains and lakes, landmarks that were now rare in the world. Tom smiled like a boy on Christmas morning as Jake scrutinized the film and told his twin offhandedly with a scoff, "That's not scary at all."

The two boys would be taken on an educational trip around Pandora, learning about the planet itself and the diversity of its flora and fauna, but the Na'vi were absent until the very end. By that time, Jake had already fallen asleep on the floor from exhaustion while Tom was wide awake, overjoyed to see the slender blue beings that ran away from being filmed on camera. He hid a laugh at seeing them throw stones and hurl arrows at the intrusive cameras but the film switched to show the rotating moon around Polyphemus instead. His face became crestfallen because he'd wanted to see more of the pretty aliens and hear their strange dialect but that was all he would be given a glimpse of.

When the screen finally became black to signal the end, Tom shook his sleeping brother awake to declare, "I'm going to Pandora."

"Good luck with that" the other Sully sibling replied groggily with lethargy as he wiped his dry eyes to find his bed in the dimly lit room. He wasn't in the mood to fly to a moon tonight and wanted his warm bed instead, his fingers stretching out in its direction with need. The floor was rather cold despite the brown carpeting and Jake bid his kudos to his twin's plan as he mumbled tiredly, "I'm going to bed where it's snuggly."

Tom, however, was far too excited now to fall asleep and replayed the hour long documentary all over again with the simple click of the button. Jake groaned as the reflective lighting poured over his bed entirely and he slipped into the cozy covers for delicious warmth to complain indignantly, _"Tommy!"  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I was supposed to post something on Peke but this came to mind so I switched it to this one. Cameron has yet to reveal anything on Jake's past and I'd like to think Jake cared for his brother which is why I'm giving them a tight knit bond. I was on a roll this weekend with the oneshots so I'm deciding whether to post on Peke, Neytiri, Norm, or Mo'at. I have other characters written down but I like to keep my readers guessing. The next chapter of the main story is now in edit and I'm rough drafting 21 since Joanna is so close to leaving even I'm getting misty eyed for poor Tsu'tey.

Thank you guys so much for the feedback on the last chapter, it made my day to read about your thoughts and hope this one gave you guys a little laugh.

_Na'vi Rabbit_: Thanks for loving the oneshots! The next chapter is being edited as I post this vignette up.

_Claycarole_: Yeah, that is a perfect visual and Tsu'tey's nervousness of babies. I can only wonder if Na'vi babies have 'soft spots' because that will frighten him.

_MarkDr_: Knowing Joanna's fury, she'll be yelling his head off during the labor but praising him for giving her a cute baby when it's looking at them. As new parents, Tsu'tey will be the nervous one while Joanna is the overprotective type.

_T0rukMakt0_: I don't feel comfortable holding babies without anyone around because you always need somebody for help. It sucks when a baby cries at the sight of you.

_Camelotprincess1_: Yeah, I'm finding them cute too when I go into the past to explore the characters as children. I think I like baby Neytiri the best because she's feisty despite small.

_Dracoessa_: I'm going to use the oneshots as parts to the story I couldn't get to or pieces that the other characters can't tell others in public but remains in their own private mind. Jake probably won't say much about his youth but he still has that mental picture I can write about. It's like a strategy guide to a video game. lol


	6. Rival

**Rival  
><strong>

* * *

><p><em>"A horse is a thing of beauty. . .none will tire of looking at him. . ."- Xenophon<em>**  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Blue eyes watched the proud Omaticayan man pace in sharp circles within the edge of the clearing, his brow furrowed in concentration as thinned lips frowned deeply and muscularly lean arms were clasped neatly behind his back. He had been performing the same walking ritual for quite a while in the field as he pondered for a suitable solution to his recent dilemma.<p>

Peke's innocent blue eyes shined happily as he approached the tense man and neighed in greeting, giving the hunter no time to turn around when he began to lick his face with his thin tongue. The young pa'li was quite the sociable type, similar to his rider, and strived to win his approval just as Joanna had gained it. Tsu'tey grunted in disgust to having a face full of saliva, using one hand to wipe his lower face clean off the translucent goo and the other to push back the excited pa'li. Peke didn't understand his meaning of stop as he continued to give the warrior his greeting licks and Tsu'tey called him to attention sharply, "No, stop, Peke!"

The hunter jumped back as he placed his hands on the young pa'li's neck to halt his sentimental affection and scolded the animal, "This is not the behavior of a growing colt. You are becoming a strong stallion and you must act like it."

Peke's antennae dipped to being lectured by one he admired and flashed the sad droopy glance that always melted his rider's heart but the hunter was an immovable wall of stone. The adorable blue gaze that could enchant anyone failed to work on the man as Tsu'tey's face remained coolly impassive towards the perky pa'li that swayed his little tail happily. Tsu'tey knew how to read everyone's abilities that tried to sway his thinking which is why Eytukan sent him to clans and to meet diplomatic tawtute; he dominated in all conversations as he analyzed each to the bare truth. Now that the hunter observed the steed more closely, Peke was indeed showing some of Joanna's characteristics- the two truly deserved each other at this point in their partnership. Tsu'tey shook his head when Peke's eyes glittered like diamond stars, defiant towards not falling for the innocent ploy, and snapped firmly, "Don't look at me like that. Joanna might treat you like her son but you are smart pa'li that should know better. Now, you will stand proudly like an adult and never _ever _lick my face."

With that said, the stern warrior returned to his previous problem without another word and left a disheartened Peke behind as his friendliness was cast aside. All he wanted was a close friendship with the na'vi man after seeing the growing affection between Tsu'tey and his own rider. Peke and Aci weren't friends as far as pa'li friendships were concerned but they respected each other as all clan pa'li did. . .that and having a stubborn mother like Aci had Peke jumping through imaginary hoops to please her and her rider. Peke was still young enough to remember when his mother groomed and protected him like any devoted parent but also when she broke the bonds loose to allow him to begin his own path towards adulthood. He'd tried his best to befriend the gruff Tsu'tey for many months but it seemed that he'd never reach his goal and so, Peke gave up the fight.

Unfortunately, what Peke _didn't_ know was that being Aci's last offspring, Tsu'tey promised he'd keep the young pa'li as a travel steed for everyone rather than a hunting partner since Aci had lost half of her offspring between tawtute conflicts. Keeping him within the clan and rarely traveling into the forest was the best option to keeping him safe when Peke was born but the plan had to be aborted. Only two of her offspring survived, including Peke, which is why Tsu'tey tried to toughen up the innocent pa'li as it reminded him greatly of Aci during her foal years. He'd heard the mourning sounds from his mare when she failed to see her two daughters and son return from their respective hunting parties and it tore his heart because he'd never want the same occurring with his own children. Pa'li weren't vocal creatures but their tsaheylu connection and body language spoke volumes for what they felt. Knowing that Joanna chose Peke as hers had forced his hand in toughening up the growing stallion and keeping Aci from trampling Joanna for inadvertently forcing him down a hunter's path. The mare knew the care Joanna had for her offspring but it didn't mean she'd keep him safe like Tsu'tey kept her alive.

Either way, Peke had his little mean eye on him.

"Of course!" Tsu'tey declared aloud in answer to his confounding conundrum and picked a large vibrant red flower to cut with his hunting knife, unsheathing the weapon with a smile of success. The flower was on its last days before starting the wilting process and Tsu'tey wanted to preserve the beauty his world was graced with. With Joanna being a hobbyist collector of flower petals, he had decided on his gift of apology after a recent argument about rocks. Ugh, even now he didn't want to think about it. The incident occurred when he'd unknowingly thrown out her collection from her alcove space as he helped her clean a few things to add space. Tsu'tey believed he'd done a pretty good job at ridding the area of useless clutter but a good thing could turn sour within seconds and true to that, Joanna had become infuriated with him when she discovered her collection gone. She'd banned him from touching anything else and refused to talk, ordering him to leave.

Luck was on his side since he knew this was the precise time Joanna took Peke for his daily stroll around Kelutral and had come here to apologize as he'd thought of a decent token as an added bonus. When Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan apologized, he did it with courteous grace and humbling respect. . .especially towards her. His plan paid off when she entered the clearing, walking between the numbers gathered around the area with a friendly smile and Tsu'tey straightened his shoulders to present himself with perfect poise. Her eyes brightened as she spotted the cheerful Peke, his short tail swaying with fond joy to her arrival, but her eyes narrowed towards Tsu'tey when she noticed his presence. The little flame of irritability remained after losing her rock collection and wondered what the suave hunter would say to redeem himself- she really did admire his debating abilities.

He stepped forward quickly with his long stride, blocking Peke as the pa'li made to move toward his rider and snorted at the air to the bold man. Who was he to take away _his_ time with his rider? Didn't he have his own pa'li to take a stroll with? Peke kept his sparkling blue eyes trained on the man with targeting signs aimed at his bare back as Tsu'tey spoke calmly to maintain neutral ground, "Joanna, I apologize for being careless with your belongings. I should've asked before deciding on what to throw out of your own alcove and from now on, I promise to stay far away from your collections in order to keep you happy. I will only give encouragement as I eat snacks and watch you clean."

Presenting his recently picked flower, he added in hopefully with an innocent but nonetheless charming smile, "Forgive me?"

Joanna was swayed by his boyish charm as she knew her rock collection could be rebuilt and her time spent with him was further treasured. Besides, didn't he know their squabbles would only last for a few hours as they cooled their stubborn heads? Tsu'tey saw his chances of forgiveness increase when her full lips twisted into a modest smile and her delicate fingers reached out to grab hold of his present. Fate, however, could twist within milliseconds and Tsu'tey's mastered reflexes weren't fast enough to dodge a hungry pa'li as Peke's mouth clamped down on the flower all the way down to the stem.

The flower stood no chance against a determined pa'li.

Joanna tried to hide her amusement with a straight face as her friend stared in horror at the pa'li as Peke chewed on the flower with lazy chomps. A little red petal fell from his lips and Tsu'tey could only watch the frail petal fall through the air, along with his chances at impressing Joanna. She knew the pa'li species couldn't digest plants very well but thin flower petals were allowed sparingly in their diet so she wouldn't scold her steed's sudden appetite. Tsu'tey uttered incoherent words from his throat as the moment stunned him (no pa'li had ever done such a thing!) and his hand was still outstretched in the air, holding the leftover stem as Peke trotted over to Joanna. She could only stare at the petrified form of Tsu'tey and hoped he'd snap out of it since the poor flower wasn't coming back.

The hunter narrowed his eyes as he watched that little tail bat at the air with challenge and he finally mustered his voice to exclaim indignantly, "That pa'li of yours did that on purpose!"

"What? No, he doesn't know any better" she defended with a baffled face as Peke finished swallowing the flower and pawed at the ground to show his appreciation of her. The young pa'li had her heart wrapped completely around him as she saw no wrong in his behavior and it riled Tsu'tey to lacking the male dominance in their trio; _he_ was the top hunter, after all! He could only bare his canines subtly under his upper lip as he initiated a staring match with the pa'li while Joanna remained oblivious to the territorial match between them. She rubbed the side of Peke's neck with a wide smile to show her friend that he was nothing but a gentle pa'li and cooed lovingly, "He's a sweet little pa'li, he was just hungry."

"He ate an _entire_ flower patch of nectar before you arrived, I'm more than certain he wasn't" Tsu'tey disagreed sourly at having his gift eaten by an animal after all of the time he invested in finding his perfect apology. He was about to demand that she teach him some manners but thought better of it in order to keep her as his loyal friend. Insulting the steed of the woman you cared for wasn't the best idea when she was currently mad and he simmered in his spot, eyeing Peke as he saw the superior gleam in his blue eyes. Oh, that pa'li would turn into Aci someday. . .but he didn't want to be in the vicinity of his biting range.

Joanna scoffed to his allegation as Peke flashed his trademark innocent gaze with his pretty blue eyes and of course, they worked like a charm. Nobody could deny the adorableness of Peke the pa'li- except Tsu'tey. Shaking her head to dismiss the allegation, she directed a questioning stare befitting a lawyer and curiously asked, "Then why would he do such a thing if he wasn't hungry?"

Tsu'tey decided to surrender because admitting he'd scolded the animal would result with an instant dislike of him on her part due to her tight bond with Peke. She treasured them both but the hunter didn't know who she loved more, especially at knowing she'd formed a faster bond with the pa'li than she did with him (his constant insults hadn't made it easy back then). He wanted her friendly affection for him to grow into a non-platonic area where she saw him in an endearing light and Tsu'tey knew his first task was to coexist with the steed in order to gain the key to her heart. He might not know the first thing about seeking a woman's attention but using his hunting strategies would allow him to craft carefully thought out plans since Tsu'tey never quit.

"Never mind, I retract my accusation" he muttered reluctantly as he swallowed his pride and glimpsed at the pa'li, catching a flicker of triumphant mischief in his baby blue eyes. Peke was indeed smarter than he gave him credit for but Tsu'tey would stay one step ahead to win the game of favorites and their territoriality issues.

Nonetheless, it was obvious who won the round as Peke nudged his rider's shoulder for his promised stroll around their home. Tsu'tey would've shot beams of fire from his eyes if capable with the furious glare he sent the young pa'li because he would not be left standing alone. He stepped forward to appeal to Joanna's good side for similar attention and opened his arms wide as a sign of vulnerability as he declared truthfully, "I truly am sorry. Do you forgive me?"

This time, he managed to score a point as she smiled earnestly and answered the plaguing question, "Of course I do, Tsu'tey, it was just a rock collection. Next time though, please ask me before you decide to throw out anything belonging to me."

"Will I see you soon?" he asked politely as he tried to conceal the hopeful tone in his voice and felt a warm flutter in his chest when she smiled kindly at him. She stirred emotions within him that he never would've believed and couldn't help but return the same sincerity with one of his own. Peke, however, didn't want his time shortened further than it already was with Tsu'tey in the picture and nudged her shoulder to get his rider moving. The pa'li already dealt with enough syrupy sweets from his food and the two filled a bucket with their withheld affection. If a young pa'li like he could figure out the sentiments they hid with ease, they couldn't have been _that_ blind to each other's feelings.

"Of course you will and thank you for the flower, my friend" she chuckled softly to his sweet tone since the man usually demanded answers and clicked her tongue to lead Peke away from the clearing. Her pa'li gave one last look towards the hunter with an expression identical to victory and he followed his rider, holding his head proud with a confident gait and a little sway of his adorably short tail.

Little Peke won a small victory that day but it was sweet as any, especially for creating a small dent to Tsu'tey's pride.

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><p><strong>AN**: And we glimpse into the mind and background of Peke, the lovable pa'li. He's not about to let Tsu'tey have all of Joanna's time and wants to run his little heart out around Kelutral.

_Luv4Uncas_: Yeah, we only saw a tiny glimpse at the start but I'd like to think they were like any other twin siblings that stick together during childhood.

_compa16_: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapters, we have to love all our crazy characters.


	7. Persistence

**Persistence  
><strong>

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><p>Golden eyes were locked onto the main target as he remained inconspicuous between his chosen subjects, who would disguise him flawlessly with their innocent flair and he leaned down to streak a color of gold paint on a piece of wood. Partaking in an everyday activity would double the efficiency of his stealth and he needed all of the help he could receive as he tried to blend into the background.<p>

"Silly, pa'li aren't gold" a small girl with short braids giggled next to him as she pointed to the statue he held between his hands. His face fell as he realized his careless mistake because pa'li were indeed not gold and he dipped his brush in a wooden bowl of clean water to remedy the error with blue paint instead. He preferred it when children laughed with him, not _at_ him.

Norm was a people person but taking care of a gang of children told his testosterone to head for the hills whenever their noise began to reach the bursting eardrum level. Fortunately, they weren't too rowdy today as the painting kept them transfixed and said nothing to keep the calm ambience in place. He pretty much begged Joanna (through private silent looks, of course) to leave them in his care for a few minutes as Tarazi was sitting nearby and talking to an older man who shared similar physical features, which brought the instant assumption that he was her father. Either that or a very close relative. He'd often heard she was close to her father since he was a highly respected bow maker and despite the odds were stacked against him to actually succeed in wooing her, he would find the key to her heart somehow.

The determination to grasp that key is what brought him to babysitting Joanna's youngsters since bright eyed children enjoying his company would allow her to see that he did well with them and thus, prove that he was a good caretaker. Also, it could put a good word in with her father who seemed to be the cheerful type of man- a big difference to Tarazi. Oddly enough, as he secretly glanced in her direction every now and then, he caught her smiling with the same content as the older man. Everything Norm did to catch her eye, whenever he could because she tended to be elusive sometimes, never seemed to impress her very much and he was left to ponder on his next scheme. Iknimaya would be soon and if she couldn't see him as a courting choice, it would probably mean the end of his crusade to gain her favor. Nonetheless, he wished she would give him a minute of her time to show what he could offer her as a courting suitor.

True, he wasn't the best looking or the strongest in the clan but he would undoubtedly treasure the person who would accept all of him and his flaws. He remembered the first time they met, she'd been fixing the string of her bow to make sure it was taut and he'd been drawn in by the focus she was giving her work as her long hair swept over one shoulder like a silky raven curtain. Of course, when she caught his intrigued staring, he'd nervously rambled that he liked the design of her bow which led to her informing him of her father's profession and that he should head there for further information. It was a cold brushoff but he'd been fairly new to the clan and dreamwalkers weren't everybody's favorite people after the human species had obliterated the Omaticayan Hometree so he allowed her perceptions since she was entitled to free will like everybody else. However, she'd snagged his attention with her delicate features despite her expressions were always stoic or firm.

When he'd spotted her sitting at a log bench, he thanked Eywa for the opportunity since Joanna was sitting across the area with her little gang of children and it gave him a reason to visit his friend. He'd strolled by casually with a friendly smile (which Tarazi ignored as his presence went unnoticed) despite his internal urgency and subtly whispered to Joanna that he needed to borrow them to impress the woman. She'd agreed only because she trusted him with their care (he wasn't phobic of them like Tsu'tey) and told the children she'd be back with yummy snacks which cheered them up. The children had taken to Norm's friendly and curious nature as he partook in their daily activity of decorating pa'li statues with paint, which he had no problem with because painting was a sloppy but enjoyable hobby.

Now, he was trying to paint a pa'li statue in the correct color this time as he tried to appear natural and nonchalant while suggesting encouraging advice to the clan's children. The little tykes, however, were cunningly sharp and told him that his guidance was not what Joanna had taught them as they eyed him suspiciously for the strange instructions. He'd forgotten how loyal the little ones could be as their almond shaped golden eyes studied him and if they sensed anything wrong, they wouldn't hesitate to run off and leave him in the dust. Norm laughed it up loudly in an attempt to catch Tarazi's eye but leaned down to whisper that they do exactly what _Joanna_ said and _not_ his words to prevent an accident. . .but requested that they not voice it aloud. He kept strict vigilance over the children as he allowed two to scamper off to a nearby patch of grass to play because they'd found something fascinating in the brush. His gaze slowly moved toward the huntress-in-training across from him and he called over with his friendliest voice, "Nice day, isn't it?"

Tarazi acknowledged his remark with a quick nod but didn't glance in his direction and Norm's shoulders slumped immediately at being rebuffed. The woman's attention was impossible to catch if it wasn't clan related and he wondered whether it was his personality that naturally repelled her or she simply wasn't interested in anybody, especially him. Women were a hard topic for Norm, regardless of the species, and he wondered if it was time to ask his lady friends for advice because he didn't seem to be moving anywhere with his unrequited affection. He hoped that when he attempted Iknimaya in the week after the upcoming festival that the new rank would help him. . .oh, and to live, of course.

He felt sudden itchiness on his back and he scratched his shoulder blade without a second thought as the tingle slightly bothered him. A few seconds passed before he felt another itch on the opposite side of his back and scratched it again to ward off the itchiness, rubbing it with the back of his hand to make sure it wouldn't come back. Unfortunately, this brought on severe itchiness all over the place as his back suddenly felt like poison ivy had been smeared across his skin. As he tried to hold back on breaking into an itching spree, he heard the kids at the grassy patch pipe up disappointedly, "Oh, we lost it. I wonder where it went."

"What did you lose?" Norm asked nervously as he really began to wonder why he was incredibly itchy after never experiencing such a sensation on Pandora before. He could only scratch his lower back as the children hid his frantic scratching and hoped Joanna would come back to watch over them so he could leave to satiate the bothersome feeling.

"The jumping itchy yirig" one of the little boys at the grass patch replied despondently with an adorable frown as he tried to find the little amphibian by peeking into the bushes. Norm would've found it cute himself if it hadn't been for being told that specific information. For those who didn't know, Pandora had a little blue creature with yellow speckles that resembled a terran frog and caused an instant histamine reaction on the skin when the innocent creature came in contact with a na'vi. Children would often have itchy patches from playing with one and a little salve would do the trick to help relieve the sensation but Norm contracted a full blown case. Throwing reservation aside, he stood up to frantically itch himself like a madman in an attempt to make the hives on his flesh disappear but it only worsened his condition. How could he be so careless and allow a frog of all creatures ruin what was supposed to be a simple babysitting job? He hadn't even felt it running over his back!

The children, however, thought he had spontaneously broken into erratic dancing and had begun to clap and laugh with joy to the live entertainment. Eventually, the ruckus caught the attention of the father and daughter enjoying their nice chat as they ate a light snack but Norm's wriggling dance halted that. Tarazi noticed the violet blotches forming on his back and knowing an allergic reaction when she saw one, blurted aloud with alarm for the first time since knowing him, "Oh my- your entire black is inflamed!"

Her father jumped in to help the poor man as Norm tried to convince them that he was perfectly all right but the bow crafter told his daughter urgently, "He must be going into a reaction! Go to the healers and tell them I'm bringing him."

"No, that's-" Norm tried to dissuade since this was embarrassing enough and the last thing he wanted to do was cause a scene that would probably frighten the poor children around him. He tried to keep a cheerful disposition for them as they watched him intently but the itchiness was overbearing and Tarazi's father would not take no for an answer when seeing a person in need. Tarazi left the area quickly with hurried steps as her father grabbed a hold of both of Norm's arms to stop his frantic itching before he broke his skin open. All Norm could do was groan mentally for seeing his pretty huntress disappear down the path and hoped she was at least a little bit concerned for him.

"You poor boy, what happened?" the bow maker asked worriedly as Norm could easily see that the man was entirely different than his daughter in demeanor. He kinder in the face and friendlier towards residents than the indifferent Tarazi but Norm was certain something else dwelled past that shell. Nobody really expected Joanna and Tsu'tey to remain on friendly terms at the start due to their clashing personalities but the two definitely changed that. He wanted to achieve that same success before it was too late and she was swept away by a more respectable man of the clan while he was left to wallow in their dust.

"I. . .a yirig fell on me" he stated shamefully to the unlucky predicaments life threw at him but he braved each one to keep fighting for another day. His meetings with Tarazi never seemed to go over very well from the start and despite his best of intentions, animal life was always the eerie culprit. He was almost concerned that he may have done something to cause all wildlife to react towards him but called it paranoia on his part because of his insistence to succeed.

The friendly bow crafter nodded slowly with understanding and chuckled sympathetically with a kind smile, "Yes, they are quite the critters. My daughter had a knack for catching them while small so I know the classic symptoms, which you are clearly displaying."

"I brought treats, my little ones!"

Joanna returned to find the scene before her completely different than how she left it or expected upon her arrival as the children were murmuring about the itchy man, their painted pa'li's forgotten for the moment. Norm wasn't looking forward to keeping that nickname and hoped their memories would quickly discard it for something more interesting. Thankfully, the youngsters hadn't wandered away from the trouble over the loose yirig but when she saw the violet colored inflammation on Norm's back, she beckoned her youngsters away from the foliage. She didn't want their skin blemished after promising their parents she'd take good care of them and they scurried over to their caretaker, little hands eager to be with their watcher. Joanna smiled kindly to soothe their curious rambles with the promised treats, leaning down to check each of the children for any similar skin marks. The children were content rather quickly as they bit into the sweet bread sprinkled with fruit slices and she asked Norm worriedly, "What happened?"

"Yirig" he answered sheepishly as his confidence waned for being felled by a mere amphibian and she smiled sympathetically since her own hand had once been affected. He knew the children would be fine now and could leave to receive medical treatment, informing her quickly, "I'm headed to the healers."

She nodded in acknowledgement and wished him well, allowing the two to leave as she returned to the children to find another spot to finish their activity of the day. Norm walked with the helpful bow maker towards the healing alcoves despite his innermost desire was to itch his back frantically but Tarazi's father caught his attention when he chucked, "You youngsters do crazy things for attention. Unfortunately, my Tarazi is rather oblivious and proud to reciprocation."

Norm's eyes widened as he was caught red-handed by her father about his true motives at the clearing and the older man smiled kindly, "I was your age once, I know the signs and the obstacles we go through in the pursuit of our other half. It wasn't very hard to interpret but my daughter can be a little oblivious, she might think you see her as competition."

Norm could only gape in surprise because he didn't see her in that manner, he wanted to seek a friendship with her and hoped she didn't want to eliminate him from her life. He looked to the only person who could offer advice regarding the feisty Omaticayan as his window of opportunity was closing with each passing day and needed a step inside. Ignoring the awkward stares from residents, he allowed his confidence to take another hit because his eye was on the prize to gaining her favor by putting his name in the running and her father was being friendly enough to answer his questions. He occupied his hands by crossing his arms over his chest and truthfully admitted to the bow crafter, "I truly want to know her better but she sees me more of a bother than a possible suitor. I want to prove I can be worthy."

"My daughter's not the serenading type, she's very dominant and she wants a partner than can match or surpass that" Tarazi's father explained as he'd readied this speech since the day she began training but his only daughter didn't seem the least interested in anyone. Of course, that wasn't to say nobody didn't look her way and as a responsible father, he wanted his daughter's favor to be won with sincere honesty and hard work. The young man before him had been nothing but polite since their accidental introduction so he'd give him the benefit of the doubt despite his origins. Ascending over the spiral staircase, he informed carefully with a fatherly smile, "She scares most males away anyway so you might have a chance if you treat her with respect and show her you can do just as much as she can. A visit to the sparring fields, an archery match, and a hike to the mountains are the type of activities she likes."

"I might be at a disadvantage after falling from fear of a bird" Norm stated flatly about their only group assignment where her advice didn't quite land effectively. Either way, he wasn't giving up and fought back the unbearable itchiness on his skin as he promised brightly, "No matter, I'm going to keep trying until she notices me."

Her father nodded agreeably to his peppy enthusiasm despite Norm's current ailment and suggested one last piece of advice, "You might want to walk into the alcove without wincing and hold your head up to show a little inflammation is nothing to worry about."

"Is it?" Norm asked with concern since this was entirely new to him, being the only dreamwalker that had yet to become ill. Most of his previous co-workers would never voice it aloud, but the fear of becoming ill always worried them because their physiology could differ from the na'vi people due to the genetic tweaking. Norm didn't know a thing about medicine but he was learning the basics on patching himself up from Max but that didn't help him when he was suffering from a rash that could be riddled with deadly bacteria. His stomach rapidly filled with unease and his itching increased by tenfold when Tarazi's father hesitated on answering the question.

"I'm not a doctor, dreamwalkers could have different reactions" the bowmaker replied sheepishly to his limited knowledge on yarig rashes since he'd yet to learn about the health care of the dreamwalkers. Nonetheless, he was thankful when they arrived quickly at the healing alcoves on the second level and Norm rushed forward with his head held high but his stride was desperate and urgent.

"_Max!_"

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><p><strong>AN**: I've been late on these little guys but I wanted to push this one out (now that I'm feeling better) as Joanna's move will bring Norm's attempts to wooing Tarazi as he uses both the Omaticaya and Atykwe lands to show his worth. I didn't go into details on Tarazi and her father since these are side stories to the main stories but they help add in insight to the backgrounds of the characters. Thanks for reading and until next time!

_Compa 16_: I know, I can't get enough of Peke and I kick myself for ever thinking I only wanted him for a single chapter with his name being 'random pa'li'. Being the runt of Aci's offspring brings in the adoration factor as I keep building his little back story too. I have one vignette for Aci done during her early years with Tsu'tey but it still needs editing before posting it.

_Claycarole_: Yep, Tsu'tey's still got work ahead of him and we'll see more vignettes about the two pa'li in the future. Aci wasn't always the indifferent mare she is and there's a lot more to her since she loves Peke in her own way while Peke. . .well, he's just happy being besides Joanna and making pa'li friends.


	8. Guardian

**Guardian  
><strong>

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><p>A little na'vi girl of seven years walked the shore of the largest pool of the Omaticayan Kelutral as it deposited into a nearby river that served the land as a natural border from the dense interior of the forest. The area was deemed safe by parents but children were ordered to never wander towards the river as it drew hungry and thirsty predators of all sizes. She'd been hoping to find any kind of shells on the shore as she eyed every little object scattered over the brown fertile dirt. However, her mother had distinctly told her that tiny shells were found only in rivers that flowed into the sea and bordering ocean shores themselves. Of course, her innocent naivety refused to believe her mother's words and she kept trying to find her little treasure. She was certain that if she looked hard enough throughout the water pools of Kelutral, she would find at least one so she refused to give up.<p>

She would've gone into the water but the older children had already frightened her with stories that a river monster dwelled within the pool after becoming deviated from the river route and had settled at the bottom for its new home, swallowing small children to satisfy its never-ending hunger. She wasn't courageous enough to test whether it was true and kept a watchful eye on the calm blue water in case the horrifying creature could walk on land. Predators on her world were dangerous and only strong warriors could escape with their lives intact against them; she wouldn't be so lucky. Her little fingers dug through the wet dirt in the hopes of finding shells but her search was in vain as she saw nothing but gray-colored rocks.

She didn't care for rocks.

Her fingertips burrowed into the gritty wet dirt as the cold earth smeared over her fingers, coating her cyan skin when she delved deeper into the dirt. Unfortunately, her search yielded nothing but miniature rocks and her golden eyes narrowed to another failure. Maybe her spot was just a bad pick? A sudden splash in the water alerted her instantly and she scrambled for the safety provided by the large boulders behind her, running faster than a thanator on her feet. She wasn't about to be caught off-guard by the river monster!

Her arms shook with fear as she huddled behind the massive rock, hoping that the creature had not set its ugly sights on her. She trembled as she regretted not listening to the children's warnings and her mother's words about the nonexistence of shells in the pools. If she lived through this, she'd never leave Kelutral without her parents in tow. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as the awaiting suspense brought more fear than the fabled creature and she dared a peek over the boulder, awaiting a terrifying monster with horrible features and jagged fangs that could only come from nightmares and her eyes saw. . .

A young boy splashing in the water.

She gasped with horror and like every child that was taught to protect their clan brothers and sisters, she jumped over the rock to call out with alarm, "Get out, get out, there's a monster in there!"

The young boy stopped his playful frolicking in the water when he noticed the frantic yelling from a small girl, the colorful beads from her bracelets clicking together with the same urgency as she waved her hands in the air. It was a strange sight for him as he glanced at her with bewilderment but it didn't stop her from shouting, "It'll eat you! Get out, quickly!"

Seeing as the girl wouldn't stop yelling until he exited the water, the ten year-old boy swam to shore to put an end to the shouting because he'd come to enjoy a peaceful swim away from home. The girl was clearly frightened about something which told him to keep his guard up in case she was right about an unknown enemy, crossing his arms to demand, "Now what is this about?"

"The sea monster!" she declared as if he should know all about it and pointed a shaky finger towards the pool for emphasis. Her eyes scanned the water meticulously for any sign of bubbles while the boy aimed a deadpan stare towards the normal flow but she gasped with conviction, "It eats children. Look!"

She directed his gaze to an area where bubbles broke the calm surface and a second later, a small _yirig_ amphibian burst forth to hop into the nearby shrubs on the left side of the pool. The girl was greatly disappointed in failing to have the monster rear its ugly head for an appearance of its existence but at the same time, relieved that she wouldn't become a meal just yet. The boy, on the other hand, almost burst into laughter as he pressed his palm against his lips to stifle his chuckles. Her lips pressed together into a thin line as she didn't appreciate being made fun of and defended her mistake, "It could be lurking in the deep."

"I've never heard of such a monster, only nantangs wander the forest on the other side" he stated matter-of-factly and couldn't help but smile at the girl's insistence that her story was true. He was smart enough to know otherwise from his own parents as they'd detailed each predator and grazer into memory so he'd keep himself safe when venturing alone. Her eyes narrowed with skepticism as her wide brow furrowed to being wrong and the boy asked curiously, "Where did you hear of this?"

"The other children, surely, you must . . . I've never met you" the girl explained defiantly but her voice slowly trailed off as she ran off to duck behind a boulder, realizing she'd never seen him around the other children. He was older than her and leaner than most boys she'd seen wandering Kelutral so who was he? He did carry the Omaticayan garb of boys once they reached the age to display individuality in their clothing colors, crimson cloth adorning his skin while leather ties wrapped around his arms to form stylish bands. His hair was adorned with orange feathers that only children of high ranking members wore as most used bright colors once they reached training age for Iknimaya. She found the colorful feathers beautiful as they dangled securely but freely from the braids on the right side of his head. Her eyes flickered over his face as she tried to place a name on him but nothing surfaced to mind, leading her to ask suspiciously, "Who are you?"

"I am a forest spirit that wanders the forest once every season to protect little children who wander into dangerous areas" he lied carefully with a straight face as he laughed in his mind to his little joke since the girl had fallen prey to the older children's tricks. He usually kept the company of older children and of those whose parents contributed greatly to the clan due to his own status but soon, he'd mingle with everyone when his training began.

The girl was dubious to his claim and he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore, deciding to end the ruse before she became furious at him for lying. Also, he wanted to swim before his allotted time outside Kelutral ended and he introduced himself with a friendly voice, "I am Eytukan te Kilvan Zayitan."

Now, she felt ignorant for not knowing that since he was the most popular child as her parents worked in the healing alcoves reserved for all residents and she often heard stories about the clan leaders through gossip. Her family wasn't reatively close to the leaders like the top hunters and the advisor but healers were still very respected by members of the clan, especially those reserved for the reigning family. Her tail wrapped around her left ankle as she was embarrassed for not knowing his true identity and Eytukan stared at her modest disposition with intrigue as he asked politely, "Your name?"

"Mo'at te Laati Akas'ite" she answered shyly with a wavering smile as she hoped her previous defensive attitude wouldn't bring shame to her family. The young boy simply nodded, remembering her name for future reference whenever they crossed paths again.

His gaze lingered over the tranquil pool of water and he informed her calmly, "There's no sea monster, it's just a trick to scare little children-"

"I'm not little" she defended with a huffy sigh, her cheeks burning for being so gullible to their tricks, and avoided his gaze for fear of further embarrassment.

"We're all little until Iknimaya" he reminded gently with a small laugh and she had to agree with him on that fact, a small smile lighting up her face. She liked it when people laughed with her and despite her innocent gullibility, Eytukan seemed to harbor no ill intent towards her. The boy merely turned towards shore once more and stated matter-of-factly, "It's safe to swim and with today's heat, I'm going in."

She squeaked in alarm to his intention, her eyes widening to their fullest and she asked in a hushed whisper, "What if you're wrong? You could be monster food."

"I'm pretty sure there isn't one in there" Eytukan assured with an amused smile to her uncertain face and splashed his feet in the cool water, the refreshing liquid protecting his skin against today's humidity. He began to enter the pool calmly without a second thought as Mo'at bit her bottom lip, her nerves turning her stomach queasy to the idea of what delved deep inside the pool. The young heir patted the top of her head as he did to his younger friends when frightened and promised with a sincere smile, "But if there is, _I'll_ protect you."

With that said, he threw himself into the water with a splash to swim happily as the heat dissipated from his body and wished he could stay there until sundown. Meanwhile, Mo'at's lips trembled with fear as she carefully dipped one toe in the water and cried out in alarm when he splashed her with water from his side. Her panicked expression turned into a heated frown for his mischief but Eytukan simply smiled with emphasis, "See? Nothing's happened."

Mo'at decided to trust the boy for now and hoped nothing decided to eat the clan heir for a snack because she'd be in serious trouble then. She managed a weak smile as she mustered her courage and slowly walked into the water until it touched her knees, deeming it safe, and began to dig into the dirt underwater in the hopes of finding shells. Sea monster or not, she wanted to find one. Eytukan watched the young girl as he swam from his spot in the pool, curious to what she was doing in the water, and playfully jested with a boyish grin, "Are you trying to find the monster? I highly doubt it lives in shallow water."

"No!" she blurted instinctively as immature impulse dwelled within both their minds, her back straightening immediately as her hands shot out of the water. What kind of person would daringly face a predator without fear? Raising her chin in defiance to his claim, she admitted proudly, "If you must know, I'm searching for shells."

"Oh, they don't exist here" he answered casually but it broke her hopes at finding her heart's desire, especially after hearing it from him. Was she the only one who believed they dwelled within the pools? He saw her crestfallen face as she tried to push the words away with denial, instantly feeling guilt for admitting it so easily as he could see that her foraging meant much to her. Mo'at felt tears building in the inner corner of her eyes as each stroll to the pools brought up nothing and hated to think that she'd never see one despite her determination. Then again, everybody told her otherwise and she refused to believe them. . .did that mean she would finally have to give up her search?

The young boy swam closer with elegant strokes and he tried to cheer her up by reasoning gently, "Don't be saddened. We don't live near the sea so we can never see one."

"All I want is _one_ little shell" she sniffled sadly as she tried to find something, anything, under the water but annoying rocks was all she found when she looked into her hands. Angrily, she wiped them clean in the water as she pushed back the tears forming in her eyes and kept digging in the hopes that something would surface to prove everyone wrong. Even the tiniest shell in the world would do!

Eytukan rarely spent time among girls as he honed his skills for clan leadership and his friends mostly consisted of boys who shared his same interests but the girl before him grabbed his interest. She was determined to find what she sought and remained confident in her belief (despite she was mistaken), a combination that was different from his passive nature. The poor girl's tears stirred instant empathy as his parents taught him to protect his people from any injuries, whether physical or emotional, and he smiled to propose kindly, "I have a seashell in my alcove. The Atykwe heir gave it to me on his last trip here and although I'm not the seafaring type, you could keep it for me until I have need of it."

His proposition halted her search immediately, wet hands clearing away the tears off her cheeks but they left watery trails as her eyes widened with disbelief. He had a shell to call his own? His gaze softened as he stated truthfully, "It is obvious you care very much about discovering what your heart desires so I offer you my shell for safekeeping?"

The girl beamed happily to his kind offer as all she wanted was to see one with her very eyes and see if the rumors that one could hear the ocean waves within it were true. Her tears receded just like the gentle waves rolling within the pool and she agreed joyfully with a breaking voice, "Yes, I'll take good care of it. I'll keep it in a wooden box in my alcove and never let it leave my sight."

Eytukan nodded with approval as she rambled that he wouldn't be disappointed in assigning her 'keeper of the shell' and his heart lightened at seeing her happiness, the watery eyes and trembling pout gone from her oval face. Their friendship was born from thereon as she continuously updated him on her beloved new shell, overjoyed to holding one in her hands, and honored that the heir chose _her_ to safeguard it. Of course, Eytukan was simply happy seeing _her_ happy since seashells weren't his fancy but made sure to request a few more from the Atykwe heir to delight his newest friend. Mo'at did indeed take very good care of the white shell (delighted to hear the waves when she pressed it to her ear) and Eytukan turned it into a beautiful necklace on the day he asked her to be his mate many years later.

Even now. . .

Mo'at held a little wooden box in her hands, its appearance immaculate despite the passage of time and after surviving the destruction of Kelutral. Her daughter had found it during the first searches for belongings in the burned ruins as she'd gone directly to the location of their alcoves to forage for their items. They had lost many irreplaceable items: Sylwanin's sewings, Neytiri's childhood statuettes, the ikran toys Eytukan had designed them, and other irreplaceable trinkets but her precious jewelry box survived it all. She glanced at her only living daughter, smiling with motherly joy when Neytiri smoothed her hand over the small swell of her pregnant belly and requested, "When I pass into Eywa's embrace one day, I want you to have this. It is my most prized possession and the most important reminder I have of your father."

Neytiri looked to the box with intrigue as her mother opened it to reveal a sapphire stone necklace with a small white shell attached at the center, drawing the eye immediately to the pretty shell (that resembled Earth's murex shell). She'd never seen an Omaticayan with such an item as only sea clans wore them, remembering the garb of the Atykwe that incorporated shells rather than feathers. Mo'at's fingertips smoothed over the petite shell as she'd done many time before, her eyes sparkling with fond remembrance to the times spent alongside her mate and explained softly, "Your father loved telling you the tale of the river monster and I treasured his gift immensely, I still do. I wore this for many years until Sylwanin was born but little fingers tend to tear off most jewelry so I kept it safe for future usage. Your father found it heartwarming that I kept the necklace so protected but I promised him as such for all seasons and a mate never lies."

She handed the small box to Neytiri, the latter surprised to the gesture since she'd respected her mother too much to touch her belongings but Mo'at met her gaze to state, "I want you to wear it and pass it down to your oldest daughter one day when she is of age to honor the memory of both your father and I. You've made us very proud, exceeding everything we set before you and we know you will keep our clan strong."

"I promise, on one condition" her daughter replied with a watery smile since the topic of her father always brought tears to both her eyes and her mother's. She cherished her father greatly as she'd been more attached to him throughout life as she'd chosen to follow the path of a huntress while her sister had been meant to be the future matriarch. This had allowed her to spend a great amount of time with her beloved father and she cherished the memories, leading her to push the box back into her mother's hands to propose faintly, "That you wear it until Eywa calls you, which I hope is many seasons from now because you have to meet your first grandchild and relay it to sempul. I think he would like that, he was always happiest by your side."

Mo'at smiled forlornly as she felt closest to her mate with the necklace and their remaining daughter, seeing the same kind traits she'd seen in him many seasons ago. Her fingers grasped the delicate necklace and she could hear the words spoken long ago, _I'll protect you._

And he had.

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><p><strong>AN**: I was hearing Horner's 'the love of a princess' on iTunes and the scene burst through because Mo'at and Eytukan were ripped apart without her being in his presence as he passed, something I think two people in love should have to ease a passing. Plus, it fits into the recent chapter of the story with Tsu'tey and Mo'at's chat. I love creating background stories for each of Cameron's characters and my own OC's since the long chapters of the original story are long enough already to add even more context. The seashell idea came from a childhood memory after believing that shells existed only by the sea shore and voila, during my teens, I discover a freshwater river in my grandmother's held the tiniest shells. Needless to say, every time I visit, I'm digging through the substrate of the river floor. I'm debating whether to post a Nitari background vignette or Anaya's for the next chapter as the Atykwe have now popped into the story permanently.

Thank you to my last reviewers, I know the chapters aren't huge in comparison to the original story but I love creating background information for my readers to add in to current chapters or near future chapters (as this one implies).

_Na'viRabbit_: Don't worry, we'll see Norm trying his best in the upcoming chapters as the Norm/Tarazi romance is finally underway. Each romance is different but I love Norm's polite way of going about it, especially by making friendly conversation with Tarazi's dad who's super nice.

_Claycarole_: Yeah, I like her dad too despite I've only done a vignette on him. Lol. I'm making too many adorable parent OC's. You're on the money about Norm on the bow since Tarazi's dad is a crafter for them, which we'll see is a window to Tarazi's true self as the story progresses. You're right about fleshing out the OC characters and even Cameron's as I want the vignettes to add in past backgrounds and future glimpses. While Joanna's and Tsu'tey's romance is about maturing to love each other and their clans, Norm's will be about opening Tarazi's eyes to the simpler things in life.

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><p><em>I wish you all a happy new year around the world!<em>


	9. Jewelry

**Jewelry  
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><p>The sea was energetic today as children rushed into the small rolling waves to feel the force on their lean bodies, laughing merrily as they splashed after the surf to play tag. Of course, the waves left far too quickly for their playful hearts but they knew better than to delve deeper than their waists. The wet sand was full of footprints, both fresh and fading as hunters and other residents used the sea for work and leisure. Salt beds were being tended to by the cooks as the next batches would soon be ready for storage in the caverns. Also, the gritty mineral could be used as a body scrubber to smooth skin (which many of the women used to brighten their complexions) and in healing by reducing inflammation.<p>

Slender feet slipped into the water of the shore, eight toes digging into the wet sand when the cold water receded back into the sea. The gentle breeze of the evening felt wonderfully refreshing against her warm skin and she smiled to the soft chirping below her. Golden eyes looked down into a wooden box held safely in her arms and she soothed gently with a smile, "Don't worry, it will be soon."

The small maroon bird within the box simply kept chirping its evening song as it sought freedom but it was not time yet. She'd found the young bird injured during one of her walks around the bottom of the cliffs to the south and had taken it upon herself to nurse him back to health. It had gotten into quite a scuffle with a bigger avian predator and lost many feathers on the left wing and half of its tail feathers as well, deeming him flightless. Nonetheless, it had survived its ordeal and she'd scooped it up gently to provide it sanctuary because she'd been led there for a reason. Otherwise, the little bird would've succumbed to its injuries or been picked off by another predator. She had kept it safe and fed by her watchful care as it molted new feathers and soon, it would be time for it to take flight. She could only hope that the bird would carry its luck and keep surviving in the wild.

Another chirp from its yellow beak widened her smile as her golden eyes peeked into its silver orbs and she teased with a soft chuckle, "Oh, you're going to be a songbird for tonight, are you?"

Her family wasn't very important among the clan but respected as any other since rank never took away the meaning of family in a clan. She came from a line of experienced crafters, her mother was a jewelry maker and her father created pottery- not very exciting in comparison to the hunters or healers but she was proud of her heritage. The smell of fresh clay being molded and running her fingers over beautifully polished stones made her happy any day, bringing her the true sense of home. She was the only daughter out of two children and she'd yet to figure out whether she would become a seamstress, jewelry crafter, or a cook. Those were her best skills so far and she was determined to do her part to keep the clan strong. Her pottery wasn't up to par with a novice despite her father's continuous encouragement, her singing wasn't strong enough to project, her fighting skills were nonexistent coming from her type of family setting, but her cooking skills were excellent so she took a little pride in that. Her mother told her she was a work in progress, like a new blanket weaving on a loom as each thread brought a new rich experience in life but she doubted it. Sometimes, she couldn't help but feel a little lost.

"Nitari!" her older brother's voice beckoned from behind and the young woman turned around from her spot on the beach, causing a little tilt of the head from her bird companion. She smiled broadly with welcome to her brother, Zatu, who was currently a bow maker and training under the most experienced master. She was proud that he'd found his calling in life and being her only sibling, her love was eternal.

She patted the spot next to her on the sand, happy for extra company, but Zatu informed her about a new task at hand, "Sa'nok wants you to help sort the twine since she has to color it in the morning. I know how much you love having colorful hands."

"I will be there" she chuckled pleasantly to his playful joke since she never hesitated to help her parents with the prep work and enjoyed learning the crafts herself. True, her hands were colored brightly sometimes but it showed her perseverance with hard work and she was proud of it. Pottery did try her patience though, her father crafted beautiful items that took her breath away but hers were off-tone and shaped unevenly half the time. Her only upside was helping him mix paints for drawing beautiful art details on the handles, neck, or edges of his creations. She loved creating colors of all kinds with the different materials available for dyes or paints and enjoyed learning how to mix clay powders to develop the soft consistency for shaping, leaving her skin smooth when washed away.

She stood up to carry her little bird box in her arms as the two walked to their temporary home on the beach, enjoying the calm balmy weather spell shrouding the land. This was her favorite season of all. Her parents' workshops were located within the cavern system as light filtered into the base since the workplace for all clan members took place there except for the hunters, who caught and prepared their catches on shore. Her brother smiled at the small bird in its box as it watched both siblings curiously and he asked with amusement, "You're still caring for that little bird? Oh, Nitari."

"We protect every child of Eywa and it needed help after surviving its encounter" she reasoned with a fond smile since she'd taken the unofficial title of bird caretaker. The beads in her brother's braids clicked as he laughed to her caring nature to all beings- small or large- but he never questioned her judgment, a trait she was thankful that Eywa allowed between them as siblings. Being the friendly sister that she was, she piped up to make conversation, "How was your day today?"

The excitement giving her brother's face a proud glow is exactly what she sought when she found her professional calling.

"I learned about different glazes and polishes to keep bows from gathering dirt and other blemishes that will ruin the beautiful wood" Zatu explained eagerly as she listened to his day's lesson to learn a little for herself and tuned in to hear everything about his day until they arrived home.

Their mother was busy separating twine and leather pieces outside their hut, the familiar crimson cloths and brown hides of their home filling Nitari's heart with safety. Her mother chose the earthy brown tones to symbolize her connection to Eywa and her profession while her father chose the rich crimson for his work with clay powders. Andra snacked on a crunchy treat made of sweet syrup and nuts baked into little squares, given to her by the helpful cooks as she'd run home quickly to start her prep work. Nitari placed her little box at the entrance of the hut, greeting her mother's kind face with a loving smile and Andra returned it affectionately, placing her quick snack aside to begin working once more. Brushing her hands free of crumbs, she tied her hair into a bun by using a secure hair comb decorated with tiny pink shells and informed her daughter with her soft voice, "Nitari, I have a few more orders than I thought I would. The order from the Atykwe heir took most of my focus as I designed it to his exact detail but. . .I'm rather proud to have been chosen to craft it. I honestly don't know what I will do without you when you pass your rite, my dear child."

"Mother, we'll always be here" her brother replied with a fond chuckle to their mother's lament and motioned towards the cavern at the west. While Nitari helped her mother, Zatu offered the same aid to their father with any leftover work at his workshop to make sure there was nothing left to be done by last meal. Zatu and Nitari had grown up with admiration to their parents' dedication to their work and since the moment they were old enough to hold materials without trying to eat them, they'd shared the family work. With a polite bow, he excused himself with a bright smile, "I have to go help father tidy up the workshops for tomorrow."

"Make sure your father doesn't try to lift anything heavy, the healer said no weight should be placed on his right foot until it heals" their mother reminded firmly since her mate tended to ignore pain when clan work was concerned and watched her oldest run off with a hasty pace. It wasn't easy being an artisan as hunters worked every few days and healers ended their shifts with others to cover the remaining hours but Andra had found her calling, regretting none of it but knew her Nitari was destined for something better. Her kind temperament and mannerisms were perfect for skills pertaining to a healer, for na'vi or their animal partners, but her youngest remained lost at what to be. She caught sight of the little bird in its safe box, built by both her children, and cooed softly with a motherly smile, "Oh, hello again. Nitari, dear, you should have thought about being an ikran healer. They are small in number but you would fit into such a title."

"Nothing seems to fit me but I do like helping you, maybe I could be in your circle of jewelry makers?" her daughter suggested with optimistic hope to her uncertain future as she remained undecided about her path. Nothing struck her as perfect with her set of skills as it had with her brother who had known immediately that crafting bows was his passion. What was _her_ passion? Her gaze turned downcast towards the brown cloth underneath her that served to catch any fallen materials from their work, ashamed to her shortcomings in skills, and sighed softly, "Maybe I will request to see the Tsahìk for answers."

"It wouldn't hurt but she is rather busy trying to mate Akon to the advisor's daughter" her mother chuckled gently to the popular gossip that he'd refused all potential suitors his parents have chosen thus far but Nitari kept quiet. She didn't find interest in gossip as she passed the time by exploring her homeland and helping her family. Her clan was rather strict on tradition where popular individuals mated to highly ranked clan members so Nitari was not surprised to the mate proposals set for the heir. Whoever the new matriarch would be, she'd be an intellectual beauty beyond compare to her if the heir was refusing all that were brought before him.

Nitari simply separated each strands by type, length, and width while color coding each since her mother organized everything carefully for her projects. She listened on as her mother's face softened into coy femininity rather than her concentrated expression and Andra added in with a kind smile, "I was lucky enough to be granted that order from him for a bracelet. He really is a good boy, even tried to lend a helping hand to learn a bit of the craft but an heir can't partake in such. There is much resting on his shoulders for our continued survival."

Nitari was about to remark that jewelry making was as important as any other profession but kept her mouth closed. A child could not speak contrary words to their parent without sounding disrespectful. Still, it was kind that he offered to help her dear mother. Sometimes, she could be a little brash with her opinions but it was done with the best of intentions. Hopefully, passing Uniltaron would grant her wisdom as she grew older because her mother held such serenity throughout strenuous work. She pointed to the long white strands that had yet to be colored and remarked with an eager smile to their potential, "These would look pretty in violet or teal."

Looking to the small bird that was eating fruit mush from a small shell she'd glued onto the box, she asked sweetly, "What do you think?"

Andra laughed contently as she sorted through the dyes she'd use tomorrow, delighted by her daughter's cheerful entertainment. Barks were kept in small cloth bags due to their dry state, powders in small urns, inedible berries were in bowls to crush them easily for dye, roots were kept in a leather satchel for boiling, and leaves received the same in another bag. She took a little of each to start her batches, letting them release color overnight, and Nitari would bring the sealed urns with her to the workshop in a large basket to help carry the load. Her mother was always ahead with her orders as she took leisure time in between to improve her pottery alongside her father. The two were an impressive team and Nitari loved that about them, hoping she could share such a relationship one day with the one her heart chose to love.

"We should try inventing colors nobody has" Nitari suggested curiously as everyone tried to surpass their own skills and create something new that would make the clan's goods exquisite. Her fingers motioned over the horizon where the setting sun met the sparkling sea and pondered aloud with optimism in her eyes, "Like the colors of sunset or twilight, ikran skin prints, and we could even make a color named after us- Atykwe."

"You have a good imagination, Nitari, but-" her mother chuckled to encourage her child's artistic imagination but stopped when someone approached their home. Andra's eyes widened instantly to the arrival of new company but Nitari had only caught glimpse of him throughout the beach during her daily wanderings. Everyone in the clan knew the young man as he adorned himself in rich sapphire cloth, tiny seashell necklaces decorating his slender neck, and his hair braided thickly around his scalp with bony white clasps that descended down towards the queue to join as one in comparison to other males with dozens of tiny braids. His face didn't hold the stern features of hunters but the angular shape depicted his adult age, betraying his gentle youthful appearance. He held himself regally as any heir but his friendly smile put all at ease when he caught their gazes and Andra greeted politely with a warm smile, "I See you, Akon."

"I See you as well, Andra" he greeted in return with a respectful nod, his voice suavely noble in its low pitch, and noticed the young woman sitting next to the jewelry maker. He could see she was trying to avoid notice without looking impolite while Nitari hadn't expected the first meeting with her future leader to be at home where she was dressed in old clothes. His eyes brightened to the simply dressed woman in brown as a lilac necklace adorned her neck, depicting her easygoing nature, and courteously asked, "Is this the daughter you spoke about?"

"Yes, I am Nitari" she introduced herself quietly with a reserved smile to show respect and met his gaze once before returning to her task. She was there to help her mother with the extra work and a future clan leader would appreciate her resolve rather than make idle chitchat. Besides, she could never find any interesting topics to speak of.

"A pleasure to meet you, Nitari" Akon spoke softly as he memorized a new clan member's name, etching her face into memory. . .as soon as she'd give him a decent angle behind the curtain of free hair. He found it entertaining as she focused solely on her task at hand, disassociating herself from the current conversation. It was nice to see such dedication and his face broke into a smile when she met his gaze to acknowledge his words, her eyes warming to his amicable expression.

The clan heir kneeled down onto the sand as he reached into the leather pouch on his belt to withdraw a brown leather bracelet embedded with polished pink stones over the band that glittered under the sunlight and four clear handmade stones holding pressed lilac flowers within their centers. Nitari's gaze locked onto the beautiful bracelet as she remembered gathering the pretty flowers, watching her mother press them into the design molds with fascination to the unique technique. Akon's ears flattened against his head as he sheepishly admitted with a small regretful sigh, "I apologize profusely for having to do this but she didn't take the bracelet. I find it beautiful, Andra, but she is a bit picky with jewelry."

His cheeks turned a faint lilac as he murmured dejectedly, "I've never had to return anything and I'm rather ashamed-"

"_She_ should be ashamed, my mother makes one of a kind jewelry, no two items are alike" Nitari interjected firmly as she felt personally stung that her mother's work was rejected. Did the woman know how much time and effort was placed into creating it? How her fingers personally stained brown to create the exact sepia tone that had been wanted? Nobody complained about her mother's work and whoever did should at least have the decency to tell her why. Clan members spoke continually with each other with tips for improvement or to attempt the skill together for further bonding as a clan.

She snatched the bracelet from his hand without warning and clutched it close to her chest, her shoulders arching forward in a protective stance, as she stated fiercely, "Any recipient of a gift should be appreciative of the loving sentiment behind it, and not of how beautiful it is. I would be happy to receive a single piece of string from my suitor as long as I knew it came from his heart rather than his rank-"

"Nitari, restrain your tongue!" her mother chastised sternly to silence her child's sudden insolence in front of their future leader as her cheeks darkened to being embarrassed by Nitari's words. She took the bracelet from her daughter's hands, tugging it with a little extra strength when her daughter added resistance and motioned for her to leave the area. Nitari obeyed her without debate as she remembered this was her mother's reputation on the line and grabbed her little bird box, leaving the scene with stinging eyes.

She retreated to the back of their hut, sitting on the warm sand and glancing at the gray-blue sky twilight to push back the tears forming in her eyes. Had she been wrong in being honest? Eywa taught to treat your people with kindness and fairness, never to judge them harshly or break their spirits. If her mother's beautiful work could be seen so lowly, what hopes did she have of impressing others with her creations? She sighed morosely, hoping her mother wasn't terribly upset with her as she'd done it out of daughterly love and looked to her avian companion to murmur, "I did something stupid, didn't I? Still, mother works hard with her creations."

She knew a lengthy lecture awaited her and continually peeked over the side of the hut as she watched her mother speak with the clan heir, unable to hear their conversation. Nitari understood the need to be polite but at the same time, one could not allow themselves to be walked over by others. Nevertheless, she'd apologize to her mother because disrespecting and disappointing a parent in one moment was not honorable. She was caught peeking by the clan heir on more than one occasion but as long as her mother didn't know, she didn't care. Luckily, Akon didn't call attention to it- merely retaining her gaze for a few seconds with amusement sparkling in his golden orbs. By the time they finished, her shoulders hurt from leaning over for so long and she rubbed the sore muscles of her back as the little maroon bird stared at her from its spot on the sand.

"A sharp tongue is not a desirable quality in the Atykwe but defending what is fair, is" Akon's smooth voice appeared behind her and she turned around with a cautious expression, surprised by his presence. She'd expected him to leave with brisk steps and brand her an impolite adolescent but instead, he stood before her with a curious expression in his eyes. She decided to follow to her parents' teachings this time before she embarrassed herself further but the heir made it quite easy as he stated softly, "I told your mother I would find someone worthy for the bracelet. You take pride in your family and their hard work so I will give it to you after hearing of your involvement with its creation."

He held out the beautiful bracelet and she accepted it gratefully, thanking him with a purely honest smile for the gift as her fingertips brushed against his palm. She would wear it when her mother wasn't near (maybe during a clan feast) and she could protect it as she cared for her avian companion. Despite her immense gratitude, how could he be so kind after the way she'd spoken to him? Clan heirs were to be respected but she had allowed her tongue to run free with her thoughts, bringing shame to herself and had yet to face a repercussion. The young man simply offered a kind smile and his golden eyes held a playful gleam as he stated, "I respect a woman who defends those she loves with just cause. Aside from that, I wouldn't use such a tone in public- it upsets the reserved types."

Nitari's cheeks burned to the idea of behaving boldly in public but smiled to his subtle joke, taking notice of the faintest flecks of green in his eyes around the pupil. They glittered as he tilted his head to the side in curiosity and his low calm voice questioned, "Tell me what your purpose in the clan is."

"I haven't decided yet, I like crafts so I will go down that path" she answered sheepishly with faint frown since her choices seemed tiny in comparison to his. He held the inner workings of the entire clan in his hands while she held strings for jewelry; there was no question about who would have greater responsibilities. Her qualms about the future were a concern for her alone as it was her burden to sort out but there was one fact she was certain of and she smiled sincerely to admit, "I want to follow my family's footsteps."

"But is that your path?" Akon asked slowly with underlying emphasis to her true worth and she blinked with confusion since her family came from artisan origins. Of course it was, nothing else had surfaced to beckon her. If so, she would've gladly welcomed it as her heart failed to find a calling that she felt nothing but passion for. Most people her age had either undergone Uteho'awkx or the dream hunt and although time was nearing for the latter due to her artisan status, she'd yet to have a profession in mind. When she didn't answer him, he smiled kindly to her unsure expression and suggested, "You should talk with my mother."

"Thank you for your advice" Nitari said politely before she ruined her family's image in front of him (or Eywa forbid, his mother) and would stay in the shadows where nobody could pinpoint her. She was satisfied serving her clan, providing for her people rather than asking, and clasped her hands together over her stomach to respectfully say, "I apologize once again for my outburst, olo'itan, it showed atrocious manners for a girl like me to disrespect the next clan leader."

His face broke into a wide smile to her reserved nature despite the black curtain of wavy hair flowing freely in the wind, dyed fingers, and simple clothing portrayed a humble young woman. He could see courage dwelled within her, the protective outburst had been a prime example, but gentle coaxing was needed to bring forth the strong spirit. Being the next clan leader, he wasn't privy to learning Eywa's will as a matriarch would but he didn't hesitate to steer his people to Her counsel via his mother when in need. He wasn't one to demand eloquent or heartwarming apologies, especially from a simple mistake, and assured her amicably, "You didn't insult me but I would welcome your opinion next time we meet, I rather enjoy a good debate companion. May I ask if you've designed any jewelry?"

"No, all I've learned are the fundamentals in what to use but I will begin after my rite" she explained confidently as her fingers traced over her mother's bracelet, proud to have helped craft the item as she spent hours in preparation work. Hearing the flapping of wings next to her feet, she chuckled softly to the determination of the little bird to reclaim its life in the sky and joked, "And after my avian patient leaves my care. Maybe I could design my first work for you, that is, if you would honor me with such."

He appeared pleased to the offer which widened the smile on her face since her first impression on him wasn't one she particularly liked, her tail flicking behind her as she hoped to appear worthy of his time. Nitari had yet to learn that the young heir wasn't like his parents when it came to strict respect and Akon asked courteously, "Nitari, do you have suitors vying for your hand?"

"No, I've focused more on helping my family and. . ." she answered sincerely since her days were spent supporting her parents with their trades or wandering the shore for a little adventure. Her life consisted of chores and training as one who had yet to complete a rite so until then, Nitari could only do so much. Without a calling in life, she'd decided to undergo the dream walk only since a chance at Uteho'awkx was impossible due to a lack of formal training. The hunting life didn't appeal to her, she found happiness in the faces of others as she provided aid which is why she'd settled on either being an artisan or a cook. The thought of any man taking an interest in her was unnerving since there were many other beautiful women to choose from and highly doubted inked fingers would attract a man. She always found her face too round to appear mature for her age and her hair was never stunningly straight as other women, her tresses naturally wavy which is why she kept all of it braided when in public. With a polite voice, she averted her gaze to her family hut and whispered sullenly, "Well, I'm not exactly the favorable choice when compared to healers or huntresses."

"Your heart defines you, not your rank" he comforted warmly since some males tended to be drawn to a pretty face when they were handsome themselves while others sought a mental or emotional equal. Each person was unique and Akon doubted Nitari had been exposed to a public area with males since her focus was set by lending a hand to her family. He'd met the majority of women within the clan and of others but he'd yet to encounter any that would soon be able to court; Nitari had just become the newest contender without knowing. He found her long textured hair beautiful as he gazed at the polite artisan-to-be but the crashing waves behind him brought his attention back to focus; he had clan duties to return to. Bowing politely before touching his fingers to his forehead in farewell, he met her gaze and smoothly excused himself with his regal voice, "I wish you a good night, Nitari . . . I hope to see you around Kelutral."

She was about to reply that she only traveled there until the storm season or to retrieve family items at sunset, almost wistful that they wouldn't cross paths anytime soon. Their ranks were very diverse so Nitari couldn't simply approach him without reason, a difference among other clans where clan heirs mingled with everyone but she couldn't question his parents' decision. He surprised her when he declared nonchalantly with a charming smile, "Or I will visit this area of the beach more often."

He walked away afterwards, cheerfully whistling toward the little bird in the box that chirped back with a flutter of its healing wings, and Nitari fought the small blush working its way to her cheeks. Every person felt humbled to meet a clan heir and his friendly demeanor cast aside the aloof air that was placed upon them automatically, her shy smile widening at her sudden stroke of luck. Nitari didn't feel so bad anymore at having to face a lecture from her mother and grabbed her tweeting bird with the hopes of meeting Akon on another day.

The jewelry maker in-training indeed would and if Eywa had told her this man was destined to be her future mate, the other half to her heart. . .she would've dressed in prettier colored leggings.

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><p><strong>AN**: And we have a little glimpse of Nitari's origins and the longest one-shot to date. To me, she's the princess that shouldn't have been but defeated the odds against strict tradition in her clan. It's one of the reasons why she's kind and watchful over each resident of her clan as she swept a change throughout the clan hierarchy, keeping her people as safe as she did alongside her mate when he was alive. It's a reason why she advises people like Anaya and Joanna to push past their limitations to be all that they can. We'll be seeing more of Nitari's life in the vignettes and in the original story chapters as she's now a permanent character till the end. Her brother will also pop into the current story since his son, Xuret, is the man training Joanna for the Atykwe rite; that, and Nitari needs family after loving them so much and losing her mate and child years ago.

Thank you as always to my reviewers, I love hearing your thoughts on each chapter:

_Laithano_: Thank you so much!

_Claycarole_: The seashell is her link to Eytukan while her endless search for them will lead her to Nitari to form their tightly knit friendship. With Mo'at growing up alongside healer parents and being a matriarch, she'll be a very caring grandmother who'll make sure her grandbaby has the best care.

_Moonlight Calls_: I hope you liked the chapters in this side story, I'm always glad to see new readers to my story so thank you.


	10. Camaraderie

**Camaraderie  
><strong>

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><p>A little girl of six years of age watched the other girls sitting in their sewing circle as they talked about pretty stones of small sizes that could be used for decorating clothing. Most were used in jewelry due to their easier manageability with leather and twine but cloth could also be used, if one's hand had mastered the fundamentals. Her bright doe-shaped eyes watched them with interest as she sat within their circle and her ears perked with excitement to being a part of it. Most girls in the clan tended to find their cliques easily but she'd yet to discover hers, always trying to be a part of a conversation but usually left alone by the end of one. The young girls were on a small recess from learning to sew with the young seamstresses but she wasn't very fond of it; she pricked her fingers too much. She was a lover of history and the beautiful music that intertwined with it to bring a story alive. Of course, she couldn't exactly say no to her mother's request that she learn and tolerated the lessons to make her mother proud.<p>

"So mother found me a pretty pearl and you know how rare they are" one of the girls squealed happily since shiny stones of all kinds were the fancy for girls of that stage in life while colorful cloths would be next. Mothers gave daughters simple bracelets, necklaces, or little earrings to develop their self-identity and build their confidence.

"She's having it made into a necklace" the lucky girl told her pals as the shy girl at the end of the circle smiled coyly to her fortune, glancing down to her own tiny silver twine bracelet. It held a small black stone in the center to contrast against the neutral color but it was all her mother could gather to bring to the jewelry makers and they'd done their best to add a girlish flair. Her parents were musicians so finding items for crafting in their spare time were rare and with a majority of boys in her family, she didn't receive many feminine gifts. She counted herself lucky either way for receiving her mother's gift, appreciating the love behind it.

Anaya ripped her eyes away from her small bracelet, bashful about its worn condition since she roughhoused with her brothers a lot, and piped up enthusiastically, "It must be so shiny like a pretty atokirina. Old clan leaders wore them in necklaces but the prettiest were made with shiny fabric from the mori worms, you could even wear them in your hair! The tsahìk is known to own a necklace full of white pearls, given by olo'eyktan Akon that started with one single pearl but he adds another for every season that they've been bonded. She wears it during celebrations only since it's special to her."

Her round face dimpled with pride as she gushed joyfully with a beaming smile, "Pearls are like the atokirina of the sea, elusive but, oh, so pretty."

The girls stared silently at Anaya with awkwardness, surprised that she'd been there all along but she had the tendency to slip in unnoticed. Anaya enjoyed the company of others but her little clan sisters thought otherwise, especially when one stated with a small sigh, "Anaya, are you ever quiet?"

"Talk much?" another giggled as the rabble of five girls laughed at the talkative girl, sinking Anaya's hope of belonging. Her interactions with those her age usually resulted in that manner but she always held the optimism that _somebody_ would stay and talk with her to the end.

Anaya gathered her things quickly in mortification and left the circle without a care that her teacher would reprimand her later on. Everyone kept turning away from her when she tried to bestow the knowledge she'd gathered by listening to the clan lorekeepers and elders but children her age tended to laugh and run around playing. Or, they simply told her not to talk during group tasks. Huddling against a large rock that hid her petite form from sight, she wept into her arms since her parents were away performing duties for the clan and nobody seemed to stay long in her presence so there was no instant comfort to her sorrowful heart. She liked talking, she couldn't help that and with having two brothers and another one on the way, she was accustomed to it. Anaya loved sitting around the hearth with the elderly, listening to their sagely advice and tales in her spare time before running off to her parents to seek further knowledge.

Anaya dried her wet eyes as she tried to calm herself, wiping her damp nose with the back of her hand to clear away the dripping mucus because being laughed at for that would break her heart. She had already heard opinions about her large eyes and her inability to stay silent by the other children so enough damage had been dealt to the small girl. Still, Anaya would aim to prove them all wrong despite the pain it caused every time she was rebuffed. Her cloth satchel containing her food lay in her lap and she pulled the carefully wrapped plate into her hands with a faint sniffle, still trying to clear her nose from the congestion. Opening the leaf plate her mother had neatly packed for her day with the seamstresses, she ate the prepared teylu in small nibbles as she longed for her mother. When she ate, others seemed to take a liking to her and Anaya often tried keeping their company that way but she couldn't eat forever. If so, she'd be like that fat ikran that one of the healers overfed and had to be placed on a strict diet in order to fly correctly. . .she did find its plump belly adorable though.

"And what do we have here?" a woman's gentle voice asked and Anaya's eyes widened at being caught away from the teaching circles, hoping she wasn't in trouble. She didn't mean to run away but what else could she do when they hurt her feelings? The person standing before her was known by everyone in the clan and despite Anaya had never been in her presence personally, she'd seen her wandering throughout their lands and heard enough descriptions to recognize her.

The Atykwe matriarch. Oh, she was in deep trouble now, wasn't she?

Her tsahìk was a beautiful lady, youthful with her smooth features but she was kind in her manner of speaking and ever graceful. Her limbs were decorated with lovely jewelry made of brown twine and each held different motifs as she incorporated all of her people's ranks into her jewelry. It was a new custom created by Nitari when she'd obtained the revered title and the people cherished her thoughtfulness, especially her mate. She represented them all as a matriarch, carrying each member of the Atykwe proudly with each step. Her lean ankles were adorned with cowry seashell bracelets of an orange- brown tone with speckles (similar to the lynx cowrie on Earth) because without strong legs, the hunters would not be able to hunt flawlessly in the sea or run in the forest. Her wrists held leather bracelets with gold and clear stones with tawny sundial seashells (spiral shells, the children called them) in between, representing the artisan ranks where her own family originated as their hands worked hard each day. There was nobody Nitari trusted better than her own humble mother for jewelry. The necklace adorning her neck held clear round stones with pressed herbal leaves within each as black thorns sheathed in white cloth were sewn in between to show her rank as matriarch along with the devoted healers who kept their clan strong. For the lorekeepers and musicians of the art field, a sky blue handprint on each shoulder was painted each day by one of the residents to show that were no gaps between them as a people. To Anaya, Nitari was a magnificent role model of a woman who kept their clan in perfect harmony.

Small cone-shaped shells dangled from two braids hanging from the left side of her head as her long wavy hair was swept into a smooth bun while her queue was held by a small comb that easily separated it. Anaya liked the pretty shells that chimed together against the wind but her face flushed when Nitari met her gaze, gently asking with concern, "Why is a pretty child sad and alone out here on such a beautiful day? Is something wrong, little one?"

The matriarch leaned down to kneel on the sand, her lean legs sinking into the soft terrain, and stroked the top of Anaya's braided head. She'd heard of the little girl named Anaya that snuck into the lorekeepers circle to learn and was pleased to see such a young soul partake in such lessons. The little girl shook her head to prevent appearing feeble in front of her but the subdued sniffles told Nitari that the child was indeed upset about something. Her heartstrings were easily plucked when she witnessed a child in distress and Nitari wouldn't dare to leave the meek girl in her spot until she figured out the problem. A Tsahìk protected all clan members, no matter how small or large- even a different species. Noticing the food plate in her shaking hands, Nitari touched the plate to alleviate her trembling and asked tenderly, "Did one of the children try to take your food plate?"

"No, they made fun because I talk a lot" Anaya whimpered sadly as she rubbed a leaky left eye with her hand and hiccupped to her misfortune. Her small hands offered the spiritual leader a bladder polyp but Nitari declined politely, telling her to eat it for strength. Anaya listened with a watery smile, her teeth slowly gnawing on the salty snack as she admitted sheepishly with a downcast gaze, "I like telling stories but not many children like them, only the elders do. Sempu says our history must be spread so we can understand the kindness received from Eywa and follow her virtues to be united. . .I only want to be kind, not a bother."

"Your sempu is correct, history teaches us" the matriarch soothed with an encouraging smile to the sullen girl, impressed to see such a small child eager to learn of the clan's history. Nitari couldn't help but adore the little one as her hair was neatly braided over her left shoulder and her large eyes sparkled as beads of tears had caught onto her lashes. She made a note to hold a meeting with all of the clan children to teach them about virtues, especially kindness and friendship. It wasn't acceptable to make fun of another for one's benefit, she'd tried to erase such distasteful behavior from the Atykwe.

"Other children don't like it so maybe, Eywa didn't mean for me to have friends" Anaya mumbled weakly but her little heart broke to the idea of being friendless for life. How could one withstand the loneliness for seasons? Her large eyes filled with fresh tears, tugging at Nitari's heart when she breathed shakily and a crestfallen voice whimpered disappointedly, "Oh, but I . . . I want a friend of my own."

Nitari couldn't bear seeing such a young soul cry, carefully removing the leaf plate from Anaya's lap and beckoned the youngster with a delicate voice, "Come here, little one."

She picked up Anaya into her arms as any mother would do to comfort their weeping child, rubbing her back gently as she held her close to offer her sanctuary. The small girl lessened her crying since older children were rarely held by matriarchs or it had been until Nitari became tsahìk, warming Anaya's heart as she deemed herself extremely lucky. Nitari soothed her low sniffles with her consoling embrace to hearten the girl's spirit on her search for friends, gently stroking the top of Anaya's head as she assured confidently, "Of course Eywa will grant you friends, you just haven't found the right ones yet. Sometimes, all you need is one or two and they will suffice. You are a pretty little girl, who wouldn't want to be your friend?"

"But you're a powerful tsahìk, you have many friends. . .I'm small" she pouted modestly since she was tiny compared to the majestic spiritual leader of the clan, rubbing her cheeks dry of wet tears. If she could be strong like a tsahìk, nobody would make fun of her. Nitari chuckled softly to her perception since she wasn't the tallest woman in the clan but children did utter the most innocently adorable remarks. Anaya gaped in awe when the matriarch stood up with her still wrapped in her arms without pause, admiring her strength since she couldn't even pick up her youngest brother!

"I am respected, there is a difference" Nitari smiled pleasantly since her road to becoming the clan matriarch had not been an easy one, walking leisurely towards the shore with a plan in mind for the glum child. During her youth, she didn't have problems making friends with her reserved nature but rarely spent time with many as her time was happily devoted to helping her parents. Little Anaya desired a true friend and Nitari was certain she could make it happen as another child wandered the shore with his own private fear. The matriarch wasn't hesitant to speak on her life experiences to establish trust with her people, more than happy to converse with children, and advised with a sagely smile, "And you will grow up just as I did with the same respect. Did you know that I too had very little friends when I was young and it took years until I found my dearest friend of all, our olo'eyktan? A friend will respect and encourage you, never laugh or hinder you."

"But what if they run away when I talk?" she asked meekly, clasping her hands nervously over her chest since clans were to be united as one without anyone being left an outsider. If she could practice keeping quiet, she would succeed. . .but her brothers tended to prevent it with their endless chatter at home and she couldn't help but join in. Her family was her heart. The gentle waves falling onto the white shore calmed her somewhat and she leaned against the matriarch to whisper privately, "Most children do that already, I wish they'd stay."

"Then they are not your friends as new knowledge enlightens true friends" Nitari advised gently since a child her age needed acceptance and encouragement by their peers, not to be chastised or ridiculed for their uniqueness. Anaya's ears flattened against her head as her efforts were in vain, wondering how long it would be before her first true friend came along. They approached an area on the shore filled with beautiful huts of rich colors while weaved landscapes on cloths and wooden ornaments decorated the huts of blue, red, and yellow. Anaya's eyes brightened to feathers of canary yellow tied to the front of a hut as wooden beads held them tightly together and a nearby portrait of white atokirina floating within a pink carnation toned background seized her attention. The color blend of the hut was beautiful as the friendly pink faded into tranquil lavender before transforming into a powder blue that covered the entire hut. Anaya simply knew this had to be the home of her clan leaders, it was simply stunning to her young mind.

Nitari smiled to herself, allowing the girl a simple joy by walking to her home and watching her little fingers graze the atokirina tapestry. Anaya smiled radiantly to her sudden fortune, her fingers tracing over silky white stitching in the center of the floating atokirina bodies while crystalline beads decorated the edges of their delicate tendrils. If atokirina could appear so ethereal in embroidery, they must've been twice the elegant sight in real life. The matriarch smiled fondly, chuckling with amusement when Anaya retracted her hand shyly for lingering too long but Nitari pleasantly remarked, "My parents surprised me with this when I became Tsahìk, I am glad you like it."

They carried on their path to the east, passing by the Atykwe leaders' home until they reached the shoreline which wasn't very far as Nitari liked the smell of the sea near her. With her mate being a hunter before becoming olo'eyktan, he was more than happy to oblige her wishes each warm season when the huts were set up. A few children were running about, racing with the waves to prevent being struck but laughed when they were out of the game- falling into the water jovially to their loss. Others simply frolicked happily while a few toddlers slapped the water with giddy giggles as their mothers held them with a tender smile. Despite the merry laughs at the shore, there was one young boy sitting on a small log who observed the sea before him with a shy gaze. His tail flicked at the air with an anxious swing despite his calm demeanor and the matriarch approached to greet kindly, "I See you, Arat."

The young boy was startled as he met the matriarch, his eyes blinking with surprise and he quickly brushed back his loose hair behind his ears to appear decent. Nitari chuckled warmly since the boy always untied his hair by midmorning despite his mother's intricate braiding, choosing to appear more carefree. He dipped his head politely, taking notice of the small girl in her arms afterwards as he tried to keep his hair from flowing in the wind with the sea breeze and smiled timidly, "Tsahìk Nitari."

"Did you step into the water today, Arat?" Nitari asked kindly with a soft voice as she'd been trying her best to coax him into the water. All Atykwe held no fear of the sea but respected the immense power it held and although Arat had tasted the latter, she was determined to help him overcome his fear.

He gazed at the ground with a shameful expression, his loose hair framing his round face in a black curtain and he sighed softly, "No."

Nitari sat down next to him in one graceful move while Anaya watched them curiously with a modest gaze and the matriarch introduced them with an amicable smile, "Arat, this is Anaya. She is looking for a friend and I could only think of you, she likes to talk so I know she will keep you entertained with all of her stories. Anaya, Arat is currently afraid of the sea after almost drowning and we need to encourage him to be one with the water as all Atykwe."

Anaya's brow furrowed with empathy, smiling broadly at Arat to lift his spirit and he returned a shy smile since admitting his fear had brought a wave of disappointment when facing his parents. He was a young contender by birthright for the role as future advisor but how could he advise his leaders one day when he couldn't touch the water without cringing? Nitari quietly watched the silent interaction between the two as they understood each other's fears and she aimed to seal a friendship by requesting softly, "Now, I would like to take a walk around the shore and collect seashells for the Omaticayan Tsahìk, can you two help me? Tomorrow, we can collect seawater to send to the Tipani since they like to brine food for the winter."

They smiled excitedly as Anaya was proud to help her matriarch with anything while Arat wanted friendly company to keep away his loneliness. Nitari allowed Anaya to stand on her feet again as the melancholy in her eyes had completely disappeared, replaced by eagerness to participate in a group activity. Arat eyed the shore warily since a drop of water reminded him of the frightening incident, thankful that his olo'eyktan had been there to rescue him, but Anaya piped up that she'd protect him. He managed a shaky smile to her friendliness and Nitari patted both children on the cheek as she instructed gently, "I want you to be very good friends. One will talk, the other will listen; one fights and the other defends. The sea and the sky."

Anaya smiled joyfully to the prospect of her first true friend, her large eyes sparkling with delight as she gazed at Arat and the boy returned it shyly. Nitari grasped each of their hands to lead them to the shore where they would spend the day collecting seashells.

Her words proved true throughout the years as the two would work flawlessly as teammates, sticking together through their basic schooling and Uteho'awkx training. Anaya would control her ramblings as Arat reined her in but he had no problem hearing what she had to say in its entirety when they were in each other's company. She would help him conquer his fears with her daring streak by exploring the shallow coral reefs to the south with baby steps until he could swim without dread in the sea. Of course, she had to warn him about predators before he decided to brazenly swim past the safe zone but apart from that, Arat regained the will to brave the sea.

Together, they would reach adulthood together. . .

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><p>"Stand down!" a soon-to-be adult Arat growled harshly as he tried to force his ikran onto the ground, tying its snout with the bola as he clutched onto the back of its strong neck. The banshee screeched fiercely under his hold, wings of a granite hue flapping wildly at the air and Anaya felt the heavy gust of air strike her face despite the distance. Ikran were not meant to be taken lightly and her eyes widened when the ikran's strength ripped through the leather bonds of the bola, its sharp jaws bellowing a sharp cry of fury and tossing him aside like a child's cloth doll.<p>

_"Arat!"_ Anaya shouted fearfully, her heart pounding insanely in her chest to his well-being and broke from the group to force him onto his feet without interfering. Unfortunately, her chosen ikran of a sky blue hue saw this as _his_ time to move in for the challenge and dove down to the ground from its perch above on the wall to screech in opposition.

Anaya gulped nervously at the enraged blue ikran facing her down and the other glaring at her dearest friend on the floor. Grabbing a rock, she struck her ikran in the center of its head to have him give chase and ran towards Arat with the angry ikran hot on her heels. This wasn't how she intended to begin the last stage of her rite but she didn't have the luxury of time to complain. The gray banshee moved aside since Anaya wasn't the target nor would she attack one of her brethren, tolerating their passage with an irritated hiss but the precious seconds allowed Arat to get back on his feet. In his hand, another bola was ready to be used while Anaya moved towards the back of the nest to have her own sufficient space to tackle her furious ikran.

"Is there a rule that says two challenges can't be done simultaneously?" she shouted quickly for clarification, efficiently dodging an angry bite from her ikran that would've severed her shoulder. Tradition was strict at Uteho'awkx and she couldn't fail at the exact moment she was facing her ikran to gain her rank as a full-fledged huntress.

The instructor on the ground was struck speechless to what was occurring in front of his very eyes but regained his focus quickly to call out, "There never has been in our history so. . .no!"

He would have to inform the matriarch on the new development since such accounts dated back many generations, usually occurring with twins, and added in hastily, "But make sure you _don't_ touch him or his ikran, aiding him is completely unacceptable!"

"I think we're busy enough taming our own to help each other" Arat shouted back with a grunt as he rolled to the side to avoid being trampled by his smart ikran, her growls furious for avoiding to maul him. He was going to engage in a very dangerous dance with his ikran of granite and powder blue, a beautifully neutral female with a deadly bite. Anaya's unexpected interference saved his life but also put hers in jeopardy as she was pulled into her challenge prematurely. Without taking his eyes off his ikran, he yelled loudly to bolster Anaya's courage and to intimidate his ikran, "Good luck, Anaya!"

"As our fifth clan leader, Tsa'rek, once said: to glory!" she shouted with the same determination, her historical peculiarity shining through, and both rushed at their respective ikran to either claim them or perish.

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><p><strong>AN**: And we have the early beginnings of Arat and Anaya since I wanted to give insight to the new players in the story, along with Nitari, before the next chapter is posted later this week. I just love Nitari's motherly flair, she's been caring over people and animals since her youth. As for the duo, they balance each other similarly to Joanna and Tsu'tey; for Anaya, it's her rambling nature while for Joanna, it's her stubbornness. Arat is a very calm and easygoing man, happy with the simple things in life while Anaya sucks up knowledge like a sponge to be a storyteller and fancies musical instruments.

_Claycarole_: Yay, I'm glad I carved out Nitari this easily in writing for you. I admire people who do pottery because it looks like such a focused hobby and you're practically using your entire body to mold the perfect piece. Unfortunately, the closest I've come to is buying pottery. As for me, I love sewing due to my maternal side and since I'm petite, I always have to fix the hem at the end of my pants to fit my short frame. I grew up watching my grandmother sew clothing on her old electricity free machine (she still uses it despite the years) and my mother's the same with just a thread and needle. Seeing that the Omaticaya were popular for their weaving, I just had to incorporate that in there since Tsu'tey's nagging to Joanna about her stitching reminds me of how I used to attempt creating the same pretty pillowcases my mother made but ultimately failed. I'd love to get pm's about pottery because that web site you mentioned was stunning with the colors- the fact that you can use them to remodel a home is even better.

_Laithano_: Thank you!

_Moonlight Calls_: Ah, the matriarchs, without them, there would be no Atykwe or Omaticaya. I found it interesting in reading the wiki that tsahìk's aren't all equal in deciphering Eywa's will after reading about the Tipani clan and her future successor, Unipey, who will not be a great one due to her preference to being a warrior. Sänume still rocks for having dual roles, an element I used for Nitari. I didn't want to use too many viewpoints with the main story to prevent confusing the readers which is why I placed the relevant stories here where it won't lengthen the main chapters but also give you more to the story at the same time. I'm very glad you like them.


	11. Footprints

**Footprints  
><strong>

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><p>Little Neytiri always hated being left alone to be taken care of by other members of her family, she was extremely loyal to her parents in attachment as any child below two years of age. Her young mind failed to realize that her parents held very important roles in the clan as she believed their main priority was to remain by her side constantly. She felt lost without them and the young infant aimed to prove that nobody could compare to her beloved mother and father.<p>

Whenever she was left alone in the company of relatives or other clan members, she strived to free herself and find her way back to her parents. It was an amusing scene to her father when he watched his little Neytiri try to crawl her way to them but she was always caught, her little golden eyes watering to the thought of abandonment. Of course, Eytukan caved in to his youngest and brought her along most of the time to calm her somber sniffles but his mate lectured him that it was time to widen her circle of trust. Neytiri could only call out to her parents for attention since she'd recently learned to voice their names and managed to stand by gripping onto objects but she scratched her bum whenever she fell. Still, she kept trying her best to prove that she could take care of herself alone and follow her parents.

Sylwanin didn't mind staying with family at all since she enjoyed visiting her relatives, spending a day in their footsteps, but did become a little irritated at having to watch her defiant little sister. She obeyed her parents quietly, knowing that they held her best interests at heart and their tasks as clan leaders would often leave her in the care of family. It was a fact she'd adapted to throughout the years but her young sister refused to budge and was insistent to follow them everywhere. She found it humorous when her baby sister crawled behind her parents with a happy smile, believing she'd snuck aboard into their newest trip- only to be returned to her arms for safekeeping. Sylwanin had been the victim of many tantrums of a disappointed Neytiri as she'd been left to shush her sobs but the sisters loved each other.

On a particularly sunny day, Mo'at found her youngest playing on the floor with wooden animal toys and kneeled down to inform her child gently, "Neytiri, you are staying with uncle's family for a little while. We will return soon."

This set off an alarm in the child's mind and her hands immediately shot out to clamp onto Mo'at but her mother was one step ahead, placing her favorite blanket in front of her. Neytiri's fingers were blocked from grabbing hold for an emergency latching and she frowned irritably when her mother patted her head, wrapping the pink blanket around her shoulders to restrain her little hands. Mo'at wrapped her cozily into the blanket with motherly assurance she'd return and walked away from her daughters.

No, she would _not_ be left behind this time.

"No, sa'nu" she sniffled tearfully as she crawled after her but she was too slow, unsteadily climbing up on her two legs to wobble towards her departing parents as that was the last resort left for her. With a fussy growl, she freed herself from the bothersome soft blanket to give chase to her departing parents. Her eyes blurred painfully at being abandoned (despite Sylwanin was eating a snack within touching distance) and her little hands swiped at the air as she cried longingly, "No, sa'nu. . .sempu."

Her mother was used to her daughter's cries since birth but her father always held a soft spot for his children and Neytiri's calls worked like a charm at pulling her father's heartstrings. Eytukan turned around to watch his weeping daughter slowly making her way towards him, steadfast steps heading in their direction as her little hands swiped at the air to beckon them back. He was worried that she'd fall due to her desperate haste but she kept in pace with her little steps as she called out to them. Well. . ._this_ was definitely something new for Eytukan.

Noticing that her father had stopped in her blurry vision, she strengthened the force in her short steps and the speed as she was determined to catch him. She wouldn't allow herself to fall because if she did, it was over for her and they would leave her alone. The thought alone was unbearable for Neytiri's heart and it fueled her resolve. Little fingers curled in the hopes that she'd be held by both her parents soon and she cried frantically to her parent, "Sempu, my sempu!"

Neytiri might not have noticed her newest action in motion but her father certainly did, admiration shining in his eyes to her little steps. Eytukan turned to his mate, who had forced herself to ignore the motherly force that beckoned her to return to her sniveling child, and quickly told her with enthusiasm, "Mo'at, look, she's walking."

The matriarch instantly turned around at this, casting aside the possible tantrum since it would be a milestone for their child after watching her fall multiple times throughout Kelutral. However, if she fell on her bum again, her mate would get an earful for being swayed by her cries. They needed to meet with their messengers to send their trading goods, mostly fabrics and dried meats, for the western clans that grew various delicious grains for trade in return. Eytukan kneeled down to encourage his youngest child to accomplish her goal, watching her lips hitch in hopeful smile despite her tear stained cheeks. Neytiri's little feet scurried to her awaiting father, her crystalline tears drying up as she finally reached him and her heart never felt happier.

Falling into his arms with fearful whimpers, she hugged him close to make sure he never left her again and sniffled sadly, "My sempu."

"There, there, Neytiri" he soothed her soft sobs and picked her up, her small form molding into his arms easily as she clung tightly to his shoulders. Each little cry reminded him of the day she'd been born, moments before the breaking of dawn, and rubbed her back gently to simmer her crying. Neither parent could bear an upset child and strived to keep their children safely happy within Kelutral. Eytukan stood up to hold her close to show he wasn't leaving anytime soon since she'd made him proud with those insistent little steps and lectured gently, "Sa'nu and I will never leave you but you must learn to stay when we tell you too. Sometimes, little children cannot venture with their parents because danger could be near."

She uttered a defiant huff to the idea and wrapped her arms around his neck, showing her never-ending loyalty by mumbling firmly with pouting lips, "No, sempu, no."

Eytukan chuckled fondly to her insistence to remain by their side and she smiled brightly when her mother dried her tearful face with the end of her shawl. Neytiri loved the delicate soft fabrics that her mother wore, always finding comforting warmth within her arms and her little fingers wrapped around her wrist with an affectionate 'sa'nu'. Mo'at leaned down to kiss the top of her little hand to bring luster back into her child's eyes and smiled at her mate, "It seems we will have to postpone our outing."

"Or we could take her along, she falls asleep rather quickly" Eytukan reasoned with a warm smile as he gently poked the bottom of their daughter's nose, causing a giddy laugh to leave her lips. She wiggled happily in his arms, happy that she would be tagging along for this trip too and was eager to begin her newest adventure beside them. Unfortunately, her father knew that certain noises caused her to become drowsy and he explained to his mate with a mischievous tone, "The chirps of the insects in the clearings will lull her to sleep and being in the shade will have her yawning within minutes."

"Only for today but good little girls must let go of their parents one day" Mo'at lectured her expectant daughter, kissing her forehead affectionately as Neytiri babbled gibberish and her name. She brushed back Neytiri's loose hair, smiling when her little ears flattened against her fingers and stated dotingly, "I'm very proud of you, my little one."

Neytiri clung onto her father happily as they departed, leaving poor Sylwanin to help her uncle by making arrows but would learn to master her crafting skills there so all was not lost. As Eytukan predicted, their little toddler soon fell asleep against Mo'at's soft shawl as she'd wrapped her cozily in her arms and kept her in the shade to lull her into dreamland. Little Neytiri would always venture after her beloved father since the day she learned to walk and despite the danger, she would follow him loyally without a second thought. He was her leader, teacher, and most importantly, her father and role model; she would honor and mourn him in life but he would live on in her steps.

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><p><strong>AN**: It's about time I posted another vignette, I like putting one between each large chapter of the main story and life opened up to give me time to write it. Little toddlers are adorable and their endless energy can zap yours before you know it. With Neytiri's new pregnancy, I saw it fitting to do a quick vignette about her own childhood since I'm certain her baby will be running all over the place with her and Jake after them.

_Laithano_:Yep, Anaya and Arat have a story of their own which we'll see develop in the vignettes and the main story.

_Bigoldfrog_: One thing I love in stories is character development, whether for better or worse, it's an interesting psychology. Each little vignette shows every day life while also showing how it's shaped the current character in the story. It really does get you attached as you build a background and give them their own life in the story.

_Jack Black_: I really like Akon's character, we'll see more of him in flashbacks in the main story and vignettes. He's a man with enough willpower to initiate change throughout his entire clan with Nitari by his side; they're one of the sweetest and tragic couples in the story.

_Moonlight Calls_: Anaya's quite a character, she's not hesitant to speak up but can be self-conscious about her ramblings. Also, she's quite brilliant with clan history and is quite the musician as the tale progresses.


	12. Nurture

**Nurture  
><strong>

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><p>A small toddler ran to his mother, his little feet picking up loose dirt along the way, just as she finished crushing green herbs in a rock mortar and pestle. The back of her skilled left hand ran over her concentrated brow to brush back the light coat of perspiration gathering there. The air was humid today and a lack of breeze made it quite hot for the clan and she was no different as she kept working hard. However, when she heard the familiar soft and upset sniffling of her only son, she placed her materials aside on a nearby log bench. Her golden eyes watched her young son scamper over to her, his short little arms wrapping around her left leg as he sniffled sadly against her skin with a beckoning whimper, "Sa'nu."<p>

Joanna's heart melted instantly to his little voice.

Instantly, she picked up his small form to rock him in her arms with endless affection to ward away whatever plagued his little heart. Her ears flattened with motherly worry as he sniffled softly, his small tail curling around his legs, and she asked with concern, "What's wrong, my little Kanei?"

The little boy brushed back tears forming in his eyes and pointed to his right knee, displaying a reddish violet welt forming on his broken blue skin. Joanna could only sympathize as a mother as her son sought aid for his pain and brushed away little rivers of crystalline tears off his round cheeks with her thumb, kissing each damp apple in return. Kanei hiccupped softly as he tried to stop shedding tears, putting up a brave front like his father whenever he was hurt, but his mother promised, "Sa'nu will make it go away."

Luckily, her little one had arrived at the perfect time when she'd been pulverizing roots into a healing salve titration. Grabbing her ikei canteen of water from her herb basket, she irrigated the open wound to clear away dust particles that could leave any infection as Kanei whimpered to the liquid. His little hands grasped the yellow cloth covering her chest as he winced, huddling against her for support with a whimper but she assured gently to quell his fears, "We must always cleanse a cut. Otherwise, it will develop icky little beings you can't see that will cause harm in the future."

He nodded slowly to remember his mother's teachings, the braids in his short ponytail clicking together by their red beads (he'd insisted on wearing his father's color today as well) but he didn't want to look at the wound. Joanna chuckled softly to his natural fear of bleeding injuries, kissing his temple softly to hearten his spirit as she grabbed a clean cloth to dab the wound. Collecting a bit of the green salve from the edges of the mortar, she layered it over the welt to cover it completely and heard him whimper once more at the contact. Noticing that there was a cut that bled within the welt, Joanna's brow furrowed and she asked caringly, "What happened, Kanei?"

"I fell chasing Tanhí" he sniffled sadly as their friendly game had come to an abrupt end due to his fall and his little ears flattened with shame, bringing a sympathetic smile to her face. Oh, she could never withstand seeing her little ones sad and she stroked the back of his head to draw him close. Kanei was her little warrior, always protecting his sibling as they wandered Kelutral but when he was hurt, he sought his parents for help. She was certain Tsu'tey wandered nearby since it was his turn to watch the children and his fatherly protectiveness never let the two wander far from his sight. His large golden eyes peered into hers as his hand dabbed at his congested nose and he told his mother weakly, "It hurts, sa'nu."

"I know, baby" she soothed with words as her fingers were doing her best to dissipate the pain, placing a clean aromatic leaf over the injury to aid the healing process. Her little one was too young to drink analgesic draughts and would have to bear the pain for now. Kanei sniffled into his hands and watched his mother work on his leg, no longer afraid to look since the injury was now out of sight. Digging into her satchel for a clean handkerchief, she found a cheerful yellow and wrapped it around his knee as a bandage. There, that would stay in place for a few hours and she'd look at it once more after last meal before her little one went off to sleep. Gently, she rubbed his lower leg to massage his little limb and lectured her son, "Remember, next time, run very carefully after your sister. She can always wait for you and tell her the same, I don't want her running in here today too. Sempu and I worry very much when you're hurt, my dear one."

Embracing him, Kanei smiled happily to his mother's affection and returned the hug because he loved her very dearly. His parents kept him safe from all dangers and brought him joy with their handmade gifts or trips, he couldn't imagine making them sad by becoming hurt. Joanna raised his knee and leaned down to chastely kiss his bandaged knee gently, her bright eyes meeting his red-rimmed orbs of gold to pipe up enthusiastically, "There. A little kiss from sa'nu and a dose of good medicine will make all the pain go away."

"Sa'nu always makes it go away" he stated cheerfully to her small joke and huddled close to her since his knee did indeed begin to feel better. After realizing that his mother wasn't going to scold him and had helped to heal his wound, Kanei released the feeling of shame that had filled his stomach. One day, he would be a warrior like his father and he had to watch his steps carefully or he could become very hurt. His golden eyes blinked with worry and curiosity mixed into one as he asked slowly, "Can I still be a hunter? I promise I won't fall again."

Joanna chuckled softly with endearment to her child's innocence and smiled earnestly, "Of course, my little darling, you have many years to practice. Sempu and I will be proud of whatever you accomplish."

Kanei smiled brightly for not being in trouble, wrapping his arms around her neck to shower his mother with affection and thanks for fixing his knee. Seeing that her son needed motherly care, Joanna placed her materials inside her reed basket for safekeeping and leaned back against the wall to rock Kanei. The little boy smiled contently for being safe in his mother's arms, accepting her endless support of him, and melted into the warm embrace to fall asleep. His sister would find a new game to play with their sempu and would share her tales of adventure later on at night. . .well, as much as their vocabulary would allow for two year olds.

"Sa'nu" he mumbled affectionately in his sleep, dozing into dreamland where Eywa would keep him safe, and Joanna watched him slumber with fond eyes. Her children were her pride and when they were hurt, a wound was cleaved into her heart but she would mend their pain however she could.

"Just like his father, bravely resilient" she mused fondly in regards to his determined spirit, the features of his respectable father etched on his round face.

He would return to his mother in two days with a splinter on his big toe and with all of his gained bumps and bruises, Joanna did her best to patch up her adventurous toddler. Kanei never allowed his father to fix an injury, always choosing to scamper off to his mother and have her kiss his booboos away. She had healer's hands, after all. Tsu'tey humored his fascination with Joanna's 'healing kisses' since their daughter enjoyed 'power hugs' to make fearful things go away since Tsu'tey could strike down a target with words or a bow. Their children's innocent view of the world warmed their hearts and Joanna loved seeing her little one run to her for aid because as time passed, her son would grow up to be fully independent and no longer need his mother as much as he used to. Thus, Joanna cherished the precious time with her little toddler because he would never be two years old again and one day, be a grown adult- searching for new adventure to define his life.

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><p>Many years later, on a sunny morning, an adolescent Kanei found his mother grooming her pa'li outside the pen as the formidable stallion happily swatted buzzing insects overhead. His strong legs pawed at the dirt as her hands swept over his backside, Joanna's soft voice cooing to her steed despite he was no longer a colt. It amused Kanei to see their bond when he approached them and requested politely, "Mother, could you possibly heal my back? It won't take very long."<p>

Motherly instinct kicked in to the sound of her child's voice asking for help (although Kanei was quite calm) and she dropped her brush to inspect her oldest child, practically running around her son until she discovered the injury. He had a bleeding scrape on his right shoulder blade, rivulets of blood running down his back and she gasped worriedly, "What happened?"

"I fell off a tree, father sent me to you- he's expecting me back" he answered with an embarrassed expression to his slip during training and she smiled, remembering the same training that took places decades ago. As always, she carried a first-aid satchel filled with healing materials and pointed to a nearby log bench that children liked climbing on to see the playful pa'li. Speaking of pa'li, Joanna's motherly concern laced into Peke's own sentiments over her children (they were his family too) and he trotted over to lick Kanei's left cheek to show his affection. The young na'vi chuckled softly to Peke's shower of affection as he'd grown up alongside his peppy behavior, which hadn't faded with time, and patted his snout to reassure, "I'm fine, Peke. There's nothing to worry about."

Peke blinked his baby blue eyes with concern, following Kanei as the young man obeyed his mother's orders by sitting down on the log bench. His hands reached outwards to caress the top of Peke's head as he'd done since his youth to show the pa'li that nothing was wrong, smiling when Peke's antennae lifted cheerfully. Joanna sighed under her breath as she prepared to mend her child's superficial scrape, wondering how tough her mate was being in their children's training. She really hoped Tanhí wouldn't follow her brother in a few minutes.

Peke curiously watched the mother-son interaction as Joanna opened her leather satchel to retrieve her healing materials and pointed out gently, "You could've gone to the healers to waste less time, Kanei."

Her son merely grinned on the other side, showing the witty streak that had passed on from both his parents, and replied amusingly, "But you're my mother, you always know the best medicine."

Joanna chuckled softly at being able to tend to her child, not that she liked seeing him injured (far from it), and allowed his justification as she uttered familiar words, "Sa'nok will make it go away."

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><p><strong><span>AN**: Well, my precious laptop completely died but thankfully, I saved my hard drive by buying an external enclosure because otherwise, all of my hard work on my stories would've been erased completely from existence. After shelling out money for a new one, I can return to the world of writing and this is the only chapter I had ready for posting since my computer's ill-fated death. Anyway, I wanted to show the future motherly side of Joanna when she finally gets one of those lilac cheeked babies she's wanted and I had to include Peke in the mother-son bonding.

Thanks to all of my reviewers for the past ficlet:

_claycarole_: Tsu'tey will actually become Jake's poor new messenger boy for whatever Neytiri desires, especially since she has hunger pangs, while he tends to his expectant mate. Knowing Tsu'tey, he will always be shooing away children until Joanna pops in with the news one day- and he curses his luck.

_MarkDr_: Neytiri has a very determined and brave character, the main reason I like her the way she is and won't change anything about her, so I can imagine her the same way at a small age.

_laithano_: I can only imagine that she was close to her parents since the na'vi are quite loyal and protective of each other. Plus, being their last living child could only strengthen the bond.


	13. Loyalty

**Loyalty**

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><p>Tsu'tey rode the young foal, Aci, around the clearings of Kelutral since his parents ordered that he must <strong>never<strong> enter the forest after his incident with the Sky people. He couldn't stop touching the permanent crescent indentation left on his right ear; he'd had it for an entire twenty-seven days as he adjusted to the new change in appearance. He'd expected children to taunt his disfigurement since his ears were no longer symmetrical but instead, they were awed by his 'battle scar' and he now sported it proudly. Of course, his confident stance and puffed out chest deflated whenever he returned home because his parents had not been amused by his actions. Since he was forbidden from wandering far from Kelutral without supervision, he had to adjust his daily activities.

As a youth, his best friend was his foal, Aci, as they explored together. Although currently small in her young age, she would grow to be his most loyal partner with time while he'd be a valiant warrior (well, he hoped). Aside from having a beautiful mate someday, he hoped, because he wanted more friends and little pa'li for his big future family. His young pa'li neighed happily as she explored the clearing alongside him, blue eyes gleaming with delight for whatever adventure awaited them as a team. Aci had only known Tsu'tey, his family, and her parents as family so she cherished each like nothing else on Pandora. Wherever Tsu'tey traveled, she would follow with happy kicks in her steps and if she couldn't, would stay in that same spot until he returned for her.

The young boy saw a little tapirus waddling through the clearing as it munched on nearby plants, oblivious to the na'vi behind it. Tsu'tey found the perfect play prey to practice his skills with and smiled widely since he wouldn't have to cross the border his parents set for him after the incident. It wasn't old enough that it could not detect his approach nor young enough that it would bring its mother in for protection so it was perfect. Jumping off of Aci, he grabbed a nearby stick off the ground to use as protection in case the animal decided to defend itself. Adolescent tapirus were naturally afraid of everything as they explored their new world without their mother by their side. Tsu'tey highly doubted it since they were naturally skittish but after his encounter with the Sky people, he had slowly begun to become a cautious child towards the unknown also.

He trailed after the young animal with glee in his eyes as he played hunter in the mighty forest, shrouding himself in the environment around him. He hid behind dense bushes as he followed the tapirus, the animal oblivious to the boy stalking it with a stick in hand. The silence of the forest and Tsu'tey's concealment unveiled when they both heard the clack of hooves along with the breaking of a small twig.

The tapirus hid further into the foliage for fear of danger and Tsu'tey turned around to see Aci following him with a happy kick in her steps as she remained loyal. The young pa'li refused to allow her partner to venture forth without her and would follow without fear. The boy sighed under his breath since he wasn't supposed to be followed at all and ordered swiftly, "Stay, Aci. You must stay while your rider goes to hunt."

He left her there, satisfied that she'd obey this time, and headed further into the bushes to search for the little tapirus. He heard shuffling from within the foliage and crept forward with care, spotting a dark brown backside as he saw the animal munching. Tsu'tey pitied the animal because if he'd been a nantang, the tapirus wouldn't have stood a chance at surviving in the dangerous forest.

_A hunter corners the prey for the perfect shot_, he thought proudly as he decided how he would go about grabbing the young animal and wondered if he truly could grab it. His friends would definitely cheer for him then! His dreams of grandeur were cut short when the leaves parted behind him and a pa'li's snort cut through the silence.

Not again.

The tapirus scuttled away in fear once more and Tsu'tey grit his teeth when he turned around to see Aci once again, her short little tail striking the leaves to cause extra noise. Did she not know hunters would lose every hunt if pa'li didn't stay put? Tsu'tey briefly glanced over his shoulder to see whether the tapirus remained where he was but the animal had scurried deeper into the forest. Smart. He grabbed Aci by the lead and led her away from the area, lamenting his ruined play hunt while Aci was merely joyous for being alongside him. He stopped and grabbed her by the head to meet the pair of eyes on the left side of her head with his own until they were practically touching. Her cheerful baby blue eyes blinked happily and Tsu'tey drawled slowly to make his order perfectly clear, "Aci, stay here. You _cannot_ follow."

He released his cheerful foal with a single pat to the top of her blue head and pointed a lecturing finger at her to remind, "Stay, girl."

With that said, he ventured back into the bushes with hasty steps to find the elusive tapirus but the clacking of hooves broke into his hearing. Oh no, not again. He stopped immediately since he knew Aci wasn't going to obey today and waited for her to rejoin his side as she neighed with playful naivety. He gave her a deadpan stare for having his play hunt come to an abrupt end before it began due to her lack of stealth but he couldn't be angry with her. A little irritated, yes, but never angry. How could he ever be? She was his dearest companion and if it took him a lifetime to make her understand that they would have to part ways during a real hunt, he would work with her twice as hard. He'd never let somebody else take his friend away for training and would dedicate himself to make his beloved pa'li the best she could be.

"You're a stubborn one, Aci, but my dearest friend" he smiled affectionately as he stroked the side of her neck and she licked his cheek with fond delight. His mother always joked that he must've tasted like nectar but Tsu'tey held the same love for his little foal, thankful for having her. He'd never give up on his friend because she never left him behind, always keeping a protective eye over him. He smiled widely to teaching his partner new tricks for hunting and patted the top of her head to declare brightly, "Let's go find that little tapirus together. I will teach you to lure him to me and you'll learn this so quickly you'll be surprised!"

Her tail swayed merrily to being a part of his fun and Tsu'tey chuckled amusingly as he began to relay orders to his foal in the hopes that she would become better in stealth. Aci was more than happy to comply and her hooves pawed at the ground in enthusiasm. Tsu'tey led her back to the clearing where they'd be able to strategize their 'attack' and he was certain that Aci would listen this time. . .if not, he'd keep trying.

Years later, the clumsy little foal would become the strong matriarch of all the Omaticayan mares as she protected them fiercely against danger. The strong pa'li was both feared and respected by na'vi and pa'li alike for her ferocity and courage, holding the same characteristics that her rider instilled in her. She would follow Tsu'tey's orders without question, sometimes being one step ahead of him to finish a task and never failed to protect her rider with her own life. Tsu'tey would treasure his dear friend for many years as they walked the path of life together, experiencing all of life's proud and somber milestones:

She would lead him to Iknimaya.

He would nurse her back to health when she injured her leg during their first sturmbeest hunt to prevent losing her.

She would be there when he led his first rebellious attack against the tawtute.

He would be there to see her bear new pa'li for the clan (one who would become his mate's steed).

She would be there to meet all of his beloved children.

He would give her a private stable all of her own during her last years.

She would go for a stroll in the evenings despite her aging body as Tsu'tey walked beside her.

He would be the first to mourn the loss of their lifelong friendship on one summer morning during his forty-second year of life.

She would be given a burial spot in her favorite area, a grassy hill that overlooked the sea and one would be added years later for Aci's son when he too would pass.

He would one day rejoin her in Eywa's embrace to resume their friendship and gallop over green pastures together.

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><p><strong>AN**: Enjoy your birthday gift, _Puffgirl1952_, and may you have many more over the years. I decided to go ahead and upload two for the price of one so click on ahead for the second. I can't believe I haven't updated the side stories in months and will fiddle with editing a few while I work on my concurrent stories. A gracious thank you to those who follow these small oneshots that correlate to the main storyline!


	14. Socks

**Socks  
><strong>

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><p>Joanna concentrated on finishing her newest project as her knitting needles were hard at work with teal fabric to make cozy attire. She was determined to succeed with her new idea and Tsu'tey watched her dainty fingers move quickly as the needles clacked more than usual. How was it that she could knit but not sew? It boggled him! He kept polishing his bow for a hunt that would begin the next morning and wanted the wood to be in its best condition. He'd been cleaning away any streaks of leftover dirt from the glazed wood; the sounds from his friend amusing him as he swept a cloth over the bow.<p>

"Careful, your fingers might catch fire" he joked casually as his cloth scrubbed the top end of his bow, being careful not to touch the string. Tsu'tey was meticulous with his weapons cleaning since he took great care of them as he did with himself. A hunter's weapon was an extension of their body, even an extra limb in a way, and depended on it to succeed in a hunt.

Joanna paused in her knitting, nudging his shoulder with hers in protest since her hands were occupied. Breaking concentration could cause her to make a mistake and deviate from her current success since she was doing quite well after days' worth of planning. She enjoyed his playful chiding since sewing had never been her best skills and replied cheekily with merriment, "Careful, you might polish your way through the bow itself."

He flashed his trademark smirk to brush off her little joke and stated smugly with a raised nose, "_My_ joke was better."

Joanna chuckled to his 'mightier than thou' moment and gave him the win as she returned to her task. This time, her project wouldn't be a failure and she couldn't wait to place her needles down to beam with pride. Even he would be proud of her! Well, she _hoped_ he would since it usually took a lot for him to hand out a word of praise. Tsu'tey, however, wasn't holding his breath since she'd yet to show a decent finished project but would humor her to prevent her confidence from plummeting down into nothing. Within a few more minutes, she halted with bursting enthusiasm as her task came to a triumphant end.

"There!" Joanna smiled brightly as she finished her newest creation and smoothed out the fabric of the teal socks that had brown mixed in over the toe area. Her socks came out perfectly (after, ahem, three tries) as they matched evenly and she waved them in the air with both hands so he could see them. Oh, she found them absolutely delightful! They were as perfect as she'd imagined!

Tsu'tey studied her weaved attire with a quizzical eye and he stared awkwardly to one particular feature. Unless her sight had decreased dramatically to that of the elderly, she held something entirely different and something he'd _never_ seen on an adult with that current sizing. He blinked unsurely because he doubted she perceived her creation differently and suggested tentatively, "That's . . . don't you think they're a little small?"

He was absolutely correct in his perspective as Joanna held tiny sized socks between her hands as she gushed proudly. Of course, that was her plan all along! She stretched one teal sock between her forefingers and smiled fondly as she explained, "Of course they're small. I'm awful at making adult sized attire but baby clothing is fine because it's tiny."

She shook the little socks with sheer delight to their adorable tininess and cooed sweetly with a wide smile, "Just look at the baby socks. Tiny weeny baby socks!"

Tsu'tey wasn't keen of babies in the slightest (one had already spit milk on him) but the miniature 'socks' were slightly cute. He wouldn't admit it aloud to her but as he held one teal sock, he placed two fingers inside the foot cover as he called it and imagined the tiny foot moving it. It was unbelievable how such a tiny foot would grow into his size when reaching adulthood. Hmm, maybe the socks weren't a bad idea if they highlighted children's lovable feet.

Joanna missed the small smile that flashed over his lips as she rubbed the sock against her left cheek and cooed in a sweet baby voice, "Sock."

"Who will you give them to?" Tsu'tey asked curiously since his friend lacked a child to clothe and wasn't carrying one in her arms. Months prior, she refused the idea of children in her life due to her plans to achieve a rank in his clan but she'd slowly begun to change after her accident. She might deny the thought of having one anytime soon but her actions proved otherwise as she glanced at the small socks.

Joanna was rather fond of her first creation in baby wear and held them between her hands as she answered truthfully, "I don't know, I think I might want to keep them. I'll make another but I don't know if anyone will want baby socks since they're tawtute clothing. Traditional attire will be better since it reduces wasting fabric."

Tsu'tey was almost tempted to request them since their adorable tininess beckoned him with invisible allure he'd never felt before. His logical side demanded to know what he could ever do with such tiny clothing but he ignored it. Children weren't what he wanted in his life either, not at this point due to his responsibilities, but when the clan flourished in their new Kelutral to their fullest . . . he would reconsider. He returned the sock back to her as one of her fingers smoothed over its partner and suggested simply with a small smile, "Keep them. Maybe one day, you will have need of them."

She smiled warmly to the idea of ever mothering a child of her own because it would be a very long time from now. Her main focus was gaining entrance into the Omaticaya as a huntress and tending to a child didn't match her personality. Besides, her background could steer men clear of her since her genetics were iffy enough and chuckled softly, "Right, what man will let my children wear this?"

"One that has a _terrible_ sense of style" her friend smirked back to tease her since she'd picked the oddest color to use on a child since neutral or bright colors were used often. Joanna nudged his elbow with hers to retaliate for his jest, chuckling to the idea of a man placing the socks on a child of hers. Who would be able to bear her strange quirks and dreamwalker background after what her people had done to the na'vi?

* * *

><p><em>Years later. . .<em>

"Kanei, stop wriggling like an eel" Joanna begged with a soft sigh as her newborn son wiggled defiantly over the bed of warm blankets in her large alcove. He was usually calm at bedtime after having his share of milk for the night and he whined in protest when she tickled the arch of his tiny right foot, his brow furrowing to his mother's caress. Goodness, he resembled his father when he found a nick on his knives.

As a new mother, she was protective over her children (one was already enough for a new parent) and the rain season had officially started that day. She'd bundled up her newborns in cozy blankets as she carried them throughout Kelutral with a proud smile as they peeked out at the world around them. Their little ears had flicked in all directions to the new sounds of the beach but they remained huddled against their mother for warmth. By the evening, however, they'd become fussy to her coddling and demanded freedom on their bed of blankets. Of course, Joanna solved that by giving them even _more_ coddling but it had only worked on her daughter. Tanhí enjoyed body warmth whenever she or Tsu'tey held her close while Kanei simply sought to drink milk before falling asleep.

She kissed the bottom of her son's bare feet as the tiny toes delighted her to no end when they wiggled and cooed sweetly, "Come on, let sa'nu put on the pretty little socks on those handsome feet."

Laughter erupted to her left as Tsu'tey breezed through his sock toiling as baby pink socks decorated their daughter's tiny feet. She had given no peep of resistance when he slipped each over her tiny foot and their daughter had cooed passively through the entire thing. He held her against his chest in reward for her good behavior as a small blanket draped over her small form and Tanhí melted into her father's embrace quickly. Her small tail flicked at his hand as she dozed comfortably, her round cheek nestled against the secure warmth of her father. Oh, she was a beautiful little doll in his arms. His eyes caught sight of the familiar socks in Joanna's hands as he tended to their daughter and asked curiously, "Are those . . .?"

"Yes, meet my mate with the terrible fashion taste" she grinned impishly since neither imagined the other being their destined mate in those days as they explored together as friends. If anything, she'd been grateful just to have him as an acquaintance after all of the antagonism shared between them. Her cheeky grin was wiped away when their son flicked the teal sock onto her face with a single kick of his foot as he whimpered fussily. Tsu'tey couldn't help but chuckle to his son's tenacity that night as his little feet hovered in the air, his chubby legs curling against his clothed stomach for warmth. Chuckling softly to his liveliness, she grabbed the sock and smiled at her amused mate, "For a newborn, he is a marvelous kicker."

Her right hand caressed the heels of his feet as his silky skin brought a motherly smile to her face. The twins had splashed madly when she bathed them in earlier in the day but a cozy towel and snack of milk sated them from giving her a day's worth of ringing ears. She squeezed Kanei's feet with a gentle touch as his tail swayed over the blankets and cooed dotingly towards their son, "Were you the one kicking sa'nu inside all the time?"

"He's my son, of course he's marvelous" Tsu'tey said proudly with his trademark smirk but it was wiped away when she flung the other sock at his face. The thin cloth bounced off his feline nose onto the alcove's floor and they chuckled to their bonding moments as parents. Their playfulness failed to leave them since their days as friends and Joanna hoped it would never leave, only increase as their children aged. He picked the teal sock off the floor with one hand as he held their newborn daughter in the other, her body molded perfectly against his arm as she slept soundly. Each night, one of their twins would fuss towards sleeping at night since they were picky about their hours but one act pacified them immediately without issue. He pointed towards their son as Kanei's arms wiggled against the blankets and offered his suggestion with an amused smile, "He calms down when you feed him, dearest."

"Ah, sempu always has an answer for his mate in need" Joanna smiled appreciatively to the easiest answer since she wanted the little socks on Kanei's feet to keep him warm. Tsu'tey didn't understand her delight with simple attire but if it kept their child snug for the night against the elements, he wouldn't complain. He could groan in complaint over never becoming ill (which he didn't) but he'd never do so for his children since they were his main priority. Joanna kissed her son's soft forehead as she leaned down to embrace his little form with a tender smile to bathe him in motherly love, "I love you, my little sun in the sky. I could just nibble on these tiny itty bitty feet of yours. So precious you are, Kanei."

Their son cooed to the cozy hug before sneezing in his mother's face.

Joanna's mother alarm went off immediately because she was ready to combat whatever illness wanted to plague her child. Before she could wrap him in a cozy blanket to visit the healers for advice, Tsu'tey chuckled amusingly to inform, "Your hair, Joanna. It tickled his nose."

She calmed instantly at seeing her loose strands dangling in the air as the main culprit. Really? Eywa help her. Motherhood was really keeping her on her toes with her dear twins and she picked up her son carefully to kiss the center of his forehead. His limbs curled against his body as his golden eyes peered at her brilliantly and she sighed softly, "I liked it when socks were all I worried about."

"You found a purpose for those socks like you wanted" Tsu'tey replied with a loving smile since children brought a new set of priorities and theirs doubled it. He'd never had imagined placing the ridiculous foot clothing on his daughter but her tiny form shifted his original perspective. She was a beautiful child that held no worries of the world and he'd keep her safe from harm, smiling to the little pink socks on her feet. He loved his children with the same passion he held for his clan and continuously thanked his mate for blessing him with their twins.

It seemed he had a horrible clothing sense also but he didn't care as long as his twins were snug and secure in their home.


End file.
